


The Mamiya Incident

by The1920squeen



Category: Starless: Nymphomaniac's Paradise (Visual Novel), 血界戦線 | Kekkai Sensen | Blood Blockade Battlefront
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anger, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, BDSM, Crossover, F/M, Genderbending, Heavy Angst, Masturbation, Murder, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Questioning Beliefs, Sexual Content, Undercover Missions, fem!leonardo, mansion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2019-06-11 03:59:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 191,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15307002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The1920squeen/pseuds/The1920squeen
Summary: Beyondians are disappearing left and right in Hellsamlem's Lot and no seems to know why!  Both the police and Libra are completely stumped mostly because there are so few clues to the victims whereabouts or if they are even alive.  However, when the sister of Leona's co-worker goes missing for almost ten months, she is given the flyer that Anna's sister last had on her person.  It's for a live in maid position located in Catskills.  And for a meager servant job, the pay is almost too good to be true!  This is the first real lead to where the victims are being held and Leona decides to work undercover as a maid for the infamous Mamiya family.  Klaus is very reluctant to let her go but she has already made up her mind.  In the Mamiya mansion she will delve deep into their dark secrets and gets more than a glimpse of their perverse sexual appetites!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SakuraSamuraiGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraSamuraiGirl/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Merciful Red](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12753600) by [SakuraSamuraiGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraSamuraiGirl/pseuds/SakuraSamuraiGirl). 



> I really enjoyed SakuraSamuraiGirl's "Merciful Red" fanfic when she first wrote it. I absolutely enjoyed a genderbent version of Leonardo Watch and her relationship with Klaus Von Reinherz! I loved it so much that I thought I'd add my own fanfic to the "Merciful Red" Lore. I will be using the infamous game "Starless: Nymphomaniac's Paradise" for this crossover. Granted because this game has reeeeallllly gross content I'm gonna have to dull down some the content from the game. Despite the games many flaws I felt that it's story had potential. Not only that I felt it deserved a better ending.  
> Be sure to check out SakuraSamuraiGirl's page to read "Merciful Red" before you read "The Mamiya Incident" as well as her other work. Not only that you can find her on fanfiction.net as well.  
> Enjoy the show!

When huma enter into Hellsalem’s Lot for the for the first time it’s not uncommon for them to go missing for days/months at a time or even die in the process. That was what happened to Leona Watch when she first entered this dangerous yet boisterous city. She was turned into a blood breed and was tortured for months on end until she was finally able to escape with her new sonic speed monkey friend. Leona was one of the “lucky ones” (if you could call it that) to be able to escape her capture and live a semi-normal life in the city. She has a few steady jobs in Hellsalem’s Lot and is a member of Libra. She made really great friends and is in a wonderful relationship with Libra’s leader, Klaus Von Reinherz. However, when a beyondian goes missing with no trace of them left behind...that’s a different story entirely.

Now there was the rare instance when a beyondian does go missing from the city, but because most beyondians are normally resilient creatures depending on what type they are but that’s not the only reason why missing beyondians is so rare. The thing is that beyondians are not really allowed to leave Hellsalem’s Lot, and even one is found on the outside they would be taken immediately to the city so they could be with their own kind but still have the opportunity to interact with huma who won’t discriminate against them. However, over the past year and a half more beyondians have gone missing and have not come back. Leona was sitting in her usual spot at the counter in Diane’s Diner reading the local newspaper about another citizen vanishing without a trace. The whole thing was very upsetting because the latest beyondian missing was an eighteen year old! Even though it was only by a few years that’s still younger than her! The first few months the disappearances happened Libra decided that it would be best to leave this to the police. However, as more and more of these disappearances kept happening Libra decided to get involved. No matter how many place they have checked, no matter how many citizens they’ve questioned, they always end up going back to square one. “The whole thing is just one big mess!” said Leona. Vivian came to refill her empty mug of coffee.  
“I know! We’ve actually had a few family members and friends of the victims hanging up missing persons posters all over the place. It sucks that none of them have been found yet.” Leona stares at her reflection in the coffee.  
“It’s heartbreaking...I can’t even imagine what their loved ones are going through. To constantly wait for them to come home when they don’t even know if the victim is alive or dead?” This conversation was getting depressing really fast so Vivian decided to end it on a slightly positive note. “Let’s just hope they will turn up soon. Most of those who are missing are beyondians right? I’m sure they’re strong enough to find their way home!” Leona smiled sadly, “I hope you right Viv”. Leona took her phone out of her bag to check the time. She had a very busy day ahead of her. She has her morning shift at the police station, and then she was to be on service at Libra’s headquarters for the afternoon. At least she has seeing Klaus to look forward to that day. “I have to get going or I’m going to be late for my shift”. Vivian smiled brightly with her pot of coffee in her other hand. “Alright! Have a great day! Oh, and Leona?” She turned around before exiting the diner, “Try not to let this whole thing upset you to much okay? Otherwise you’ll wind up with gray hair.” Leona chuckled at her last statement. “Okay, I will, see ya!” “Later!”. Leona was gonna try not to let the bad news get the better of her that day. However, because her shifts were at the station and at Libra it might be hard to do so.

Leona quickly arrived at the police station. When she entered the building, a lot of people were running around like chickens with their heads cut off! Not only do they have to put up with the usual craziness that happens in Hellsalem’s Lot they are also still working on the missing persons cases. Just like Libra they were hardly getting any leads and are constantly going back to square one which has been happening too often. She was not entirely ready to face her boss just yet because she knows he will be in a fowl mood that day because of all the stress he’s been under lately. She sees Detective Daniel Law hunched over his desk with half of a cigarette in his mouth. He was looking positively haggard! “Morning, Mr. Law.” Leona did her best to smile for him since it looked like he could use a bit of that Leona sunshine in his day. He looked up at her with tired eyes, and half a smile. “Good call not putting the word ‘good’ in your greeting Leona, because it certainly isn’t a ‘good morning’ today.” Called it! Leona thought to herself. “I know these disappearances has everyone feeling stressed and anxious, it’s been almost a year and half since the first few citizens have gone missing, right?” Law took a long drag off his cigarette then smoldered it in his ashtray. “You are correct, and we keep going around in circles every time we get even a small lead”. He takes out another cigarette from his box. “I’m sure Libra is doing better than we are huh?” Leona sighed, “Unfortunately, we haven’t had any luck either. Every time a new missing face appears on the news Klaus always looks so sad. I think this case is really tearing him up inside.” Even though Law was very adamant about Leona being a part of Libra, a part of him glad that the organization is being run by someone so honorable as Klaus Von Reinherz. He just wished that he would make his girlfriend his second in command instead of that shady, scarface Steven! Someone as smart and kind as Leona deserved that position more than he does! “I’m really sorry to hear that, Leo.  I keep thinking that one of these victims would turn up soon but my optimism about the whole thing just keeps getting lower and lower. Not that I had a lot of optimism to begin with anyway.”

This was really starting to upset Leona and Law could see her eyes getting glassy. He had to turn this conversation around fast otherwise his colleagues would reprimand him for making her cry! “Well, that’s not the only thing that’s got under my skin today!” Law said quickly. “We just got in a new guy the other day and let me tell ya, he is a real piece of work.” Leona’s sorrow quickly turned into curiosity and that was a good thing. “New guy? What, is he a new rookie that’s having trouble fitting in?” Mr. Law began to chuckle. “Heh, he’s not even a rookie! He’s the new Assistant Chief of Police here!” Leona tilted her head in confusion. However, the thought of a new boss could put anyone’s hair on end. “He can’t be all bad right?”  
Law really loved Leona’s way of seeing the good in people even when they don’t deserve it. This was of the reasons why he was glad he kept her as his forensics photographer. “Trust me Sweetie, he can. From what I heard he used to be the assistant chief at a different precinct in Gotham Heights”. He, puffs out his cigarette smoke, “and I trust you know what those people who live under that damn glass ceiling are like, yes?” Gotham Heights was another section of Hellsalem’s Lot that was protected by a giant glass barrier that kept these city’s fog and beyondians out. The people who live there were not exactly tolerant of the changes made after the great collapse. Leona guessed it was because those who lived in that part of the city just wanted it to be the only part that remained “normal”. “Has he said anything discriminatory while he’s been here?” Leona noticed that there are Beyondians who work on the force and not just Huma, but not much. “Yeah, but only in passing and it makes my stomach roil whenever he does. However, when he’s in front of the head honcho himself he does everything he can to kiss his wrinkly old ass! Makes me sick!” He was then cut off by a stranger. “I would advise you not to make any vulgar remarks of our beloved police chief, Law.” The small detective became very pale as his hand clutched his shoulder. Leona instantly knew this guy was the new assistant chief. The man was tall, with short, slicked-back white hair, had fine lines on his face that were probably handsome once, had ghostly pale skin, and to top it all off had a medium sized bird-like nose. He looked exactly like the definition Ichabod Crane from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! She remembered reading it when she was twelve and she had to sleep with lights on for a week after reading that story! “Sorry about that, sir” Law immediately lowered his head down and the new Assistant Chief sneered at him. “There is such thing as a time and a place for pointless gossip but not while you are on the clock!” The man had a pretty deep yet chilling Christopher Lee-esque voice. His eyes immediately went straight to Leona’s face after his scolding of detective Law. “and who is this lovely young thing supposed to be?” Leona felt a chill go down her spine. “This is Leona Watch, she’s my forensics photographer”. The lanky man snickered as his eyes scanned her body from top to bottom. “Leona Watch...beautiful name...beautiful girl.” Okay, this was really starting to get creepy! He spoke in a gentleman-like manner that Klaus did when he speaks to her when they are having their special alone times, but this guy just made it sound just plane disturbing. “Assistant Chief Jasper Crane, at your service.” Not only did he look like Ichabod Crane, he had his last name too! This was such weird coincidence as well as the interaction. Leona hoped that it would end soon. Mr. Crane held her hand, ugh it felt so cold and clammy! “I hope we will see more of each other Ms. Leona.” God, I hope not! “Uhh, likewise?” She lied. He smiled and went on his merry way. Leona and detective Law stayed silent for a short while until he was out of earshot. “Okay I see what you mean.” Leona admitted. “Tell me about it!” Law complained, “I swear, every time he enters a room I get this instant chill down my spine and my stomach goes into knots”. Even though Leona agreed with him on that note but maybe it was just his own weird way of getting to know her? But even so he did not like the way he was talking to her in that gentleman-like flirty tone! Only Klaus got to talk to her that way! “Ya he is kinda...off, but maybe that’s his own unique way of being friendly?” Law leaned his head backwards in his hands. “Uuuuuugh, your sweet yet naive personality is starting to give me diabetes here! I need some strong black coffee to balance that out. Leona, could you be a sweetheart and get me a cup of coffee from the cafe please?” Leona laughed at the thought of her sunshiney attitude could cause someone an illness. But then again when she was in her moody days she wished she could shove other people’s sunshine right up their ass, so Mr. Law did have a point. “Sure! I’ll be back in a few.” She wanted to get out of that stuffy office anyway, and away from Mr. Crane as far as she can possibly get!

The rest of the morning was uneventful. After Leona got the coffee she mostly did a little bit of filing work for Detective Law as well as going over pictures she took at the last crime scene they investigated together. But mostly they just talked about how creep Assistant Chief Crane was! Leona kept getting shivers whenever he walked through the office. Because of that she really wanted her shift to end so she can head over to Libra. Fortunately, it was 11:30 AM, the end of her shift! She bid her goodbyes to detective Law and headed straight for the exit and luckily, Mr. Crane was nowhere in the vicinity. However, just as soon as she was about to head for the exit her cell phone started to ring. She reached into her bag to figure out who was calling her. She know it wasn’t Klaus because her special “Cheek to Cheek” ringtone was used exclusively for him. She checked the caller ID and to her surprise it was Lady Winnow! The owner and costume maker of the maid cafe Filles de Monstres! Leona would work for them during the holidays mostly because the pay was really good for when she needed to buy christmas presents as well as Klaus’ birthday gift on New Years Eve. Leona answered the phone immediately. “Hello?”, Leona Answered. “Hello Leona, it’s been a while hasn’t it? How are you my dear?”, Lady Winnow answers with the grace of a noble woman. “I’m doing well thanks, how about you? Is everyone at the cafe doing alright.” ...There was a long pause. “Lady Winnow are you still there?” “Well...That was sort of why I called you, I wanted to ask if you could drop by the cafe for a little bit? There is something I would like to talk to you about.” Leona was getting really worried now, she hoped that everything was okay, “madame are you in some kind of trouble?” “No, not me my dear, but...I can’t talk about it over the phone, can you please come to the cafe as soon as you are able?” Leona really like working for the people at the cafe, they treated her as if she was family so of course she could not say no. “Sure I’ll be on my way.” “Excellent! See you then.” after she hung up she tried to put her cell phone in her bag, but attempting to do so she woke up Sonic from his nap and moved to perch on her shoulder. “Morning sleepy head!” she tickles Sonic under his chin and he coos so sweetly. She decided to give Klaus a text saying that she will be a little late and that she needed to meet with someone first. Klaus responded a few minutes after the text was sent and told her that was fine, but asked if everything was okay. Leona didn’t really knew how to respond. Lady Winnow sounded rather distressed over the phone and honestly, Leona didn’t know what she would get herself into.

When Leona entered the cafe she was greeted by Melina, the cockatoo girl. She found it rather odd that she was being the hostess because she usually worked busting the tables and the hostess position often went to Anna the two-tailed cat girl. “Leona!” Melina squaked, “How are you? I haven’t seen you in ages!” Leona gave her a hug, “I’m doing well, thank you! Where’s Anna? Doesn't she normally work the hostess stand?” Melina’s feathers dropped downward and let out a sad coo. “She’s in the main office with Lady Winnow right now...They’re expecting you.” This was really becoming a big concern for Leona. She really hoped that they were okay… “Can I go see them now?” “Certainly, right this way.” Melina lead Leona into Lady Winnow’s office. As she remembered it was filled with dress mannequins and different types of maid cosplay for her employees. Madam Winnow and Anna were sitting on the plush antique loveseat. Poor Anna was sniffing and weeping quietly as the spider woman was trying to comfort her by caressing her hair. Leona knew in her gut that something was terribly wrong. She could feel her heart breaking in two as she saw the poor cat girl crying in the madames’ arms. Lady Winnow lifted her head up to see Leona cross the threshold into the parlour. “Oh, My dear!” Lady Winnow got up from her seat to give Leona a hug and Anna followed soon after. “Thank Heavens you’ve come! Please sit down, sit down we have much to discuss”. Leona took a seat in the fancy armchair. “I would like to help however I can ma’am. Can you tell me what exactly happened.” Lady Winnow looked down at her weeping charge. “Go ahead dear”, Anna took a few deep breaths and despite a few stray sniffles here and there she was able to calm herself down to start talking. “It’s my big sister...Angela”. Leona was surprised, even though they were not too close she still considered Anna as a friend and even when they were working together she never mentioned having an older sister! “Your sister? What happened to her?” Anna’s lips began to quiver and tears were starting to flow again. Madame stepped in to do the talking. “Angela used to work here at my establishment some time ago. I took her as well as Anna into my care and as soon as they were old enough I had them work for me. Angela left last year to go to college to study business. She had some new ideas for the cafe that would really boost our business. The only times she came to work at the cafe was during her breaks. However, she told me she was worried about a huma friend of hers because she was only supposed to be gone for two weeks for a live-in position at some place but she never came home”. Leona had a feeling where this was going. “Oh no, don’t tell me Angela went missing too?!” “I’m guessing you already know about the disappearances?” How could she not?! The story was all over the nes every other week! Lady Winnow continued her explanation, “Angela decided to apply to the same job that her friend did to make sure if she was okay. It was only supposed to be a two week Position but...just like her friend...she never came home.” This was really hard to sink in. Just what kind of job was this?! “What kind of job did Angela apply to exactly? You mentioned that it was a live-in position at someone residence, was it a maid job or something like that?” Lady Winnow wiped away her tears with her handkerchief, “That is correct my dear, she showed me an advertisement in some second rate fashion magazine. It said that it paid handsomely and I thought that a maid position with an extremely high pay was far too good to be true. I told Angela that it was probably a scam and she should not even consider applying. However, she was very insistent in finding her friend that she went anyway.” Not only was this info interesting it was also terrifying. Leona had heard about certain jobs that would often scam people with good pay but would drown them in debt so that they couldn’t leave. Not only that employers would have special technology that would keep their workers bound to them and would place a tracking device on their persons. “The advertisement, do you still have it with you?” Anna took the ad out from the desk drawer and handed to her. Madame was right! The pay was too good to be true especially for a servant position. They had the phone number right on it too so whoever finds it can place an appointment for an interview. “Mind if I keep this? I think this might prove to be a very important clue to the disappearances!” “That’s why I called you. I know that you work part time at the police station and we had a feeling that they could use this as a lead. Please Leona we desperately need to know what happened our beloved Angela!” They really did look desperate in finding her. These people have done so much for Leona that she just couldn’t say no. “Of course I will! I’ll hand this over to the proper authorities and I will let you know if anything comes up.” “Oh thank you my dear! Thank You! Please let us know as soon you’ve found something!” “I promise”.

After Leona left the cafe she headed straight for Libra. She knew that she said she would hand the advertisement into the police, (and she would!) but she felt that this case has become a lot more complicated than just frequent missing beyondians. She knew that Libra was the right team to get to the bottom of this case!


	2. Chapter 2

When Leona entered Libra’s elevator Zapp went in as soon as she did. And of course, was being his usual flirty and sleazy self. “Hello, Baaaaaby”, Leona paused for a bit and then started laughing out loud. “Zapp you are totally using that line from one of Markiplier’s videos aren't you? Hahaha!” “Zapp started to blush. Apparently using a funny line from one of Yotube’s famous creators was his best chance at flirting with Leona today. It didn’t work of course but it did give Leona some great belly laughs. She was thankful though after the weird day she’s been having so far she needed a good laugh to cheer her up. “Whaaaat that line has already been used!? And for Comedy?!” Leona just kept carrying on by how funny it was. “Yeah it was, but thanks anyway, after the day i've had today I really needed a good chuckle.” Zapp, despite being the lecherous perv that he was still had a caring side to him. Even though Leona and Klaus are an item he still had some lingering feelings for Leona. He knew that those feelings will fade away over time. But when he is being thanked for making her day a little brighter, it makes him glad that he has a friend like her in his life. shaking those sappy thoughts out of his head, he responds to her words of thanks. “Well, you know me, I’m just looking out for my number one girl! You mentioned having kind of a rough day, what happened.” Leona told Tapp everything that happened to her that morning. From the creepy assistant police chief to her friends big sister being one of the victims in the missing beyondians case. Zapp got pretty agitated when she mentioned Mr. Crane.  
“That creep was totally trying to flirt with you! there is no way you are that naive to think that he was just trying to be friendly. By the way you’ve described him he sounds like complete scum.” Leona then gave him a look, and raised one eyebrow, “and what makes you exactly?” now he was getting a bit defensive, “What is that supposed to mean?!” “Dude, I was getting so many red flags when we first met, especially when you’ve so ‘boldly’ (and I use that term lightly) decided to grope my chest?” She was still not letting him live it down. “Well, you know I just thought that if I grabbed your boobs my true potential would be unlocked. You know like the protagonist from that weird demon harem anime you told me about.” Leona rolled her eyes, “Zapp I told you about that anime only after I became a Libra member”. ‘Busted’ Leona thought to herself. Zapp knew that they were getting off topic so he decided to remedy that, “Look the point is you know that there is something off about that guy, I know you well enough now that you are not that stupidly ignorant.” Zapp had a point the moment Mr. Crane “complimented” her as well as the way he was looking at her with an indiscreet look in his eyes, and his hands...oh god, it was like she was shaking hands with a cold, dead fish! She was starting to feel uncomfortable just thinking about it so she decided to move on to what she had found out that day.  
“That’s not important right now. The real interesting part was when I went to cafe. You know, the one I like to work at during the holidays?” Zapp remembers. After Leona told him about that after the holidays he thought he’d go in and check it out for himself. He had to say, he was not disappointed. There were plenty of hot monster babes to go around.  
“Mmm this is why I love living here, there’s a great variety of bodacious beauties to go around.”

“Zapp, focus. When I went to the cafe I knew something was a tad off because the usual hostess was not at her post.” Leona continued her story, from the interactions with the owner and Anna to her sister going missing for nearly ten months. Zapp was really getting into this now. Next Leona got to the most interesting part, the flyer! While Zapp did think this was a viable clue to the case he was still a bit skeptical.  
“I dunno Leona, I mean huma do go missing all the time but even so when a beyondian goes missing they usually appear within a month or two. This could be just a regular runaway story. And besides just one measly flyer can’t be responsible for a series of disappearances.” Zapp could be right but Leona had a feeling this could be a legit part of something bigger. Leona and Zapp stepped out of the elevator but before they entered the office he asked her if she could let him take a peek at that advertisement. She had no objections to let him see it first before Klaus and Steven did so she let him take a look at it. He read it then suddenly his eyes went wide. “Woah…” Leona’s interest began to peak. “What is it, what do you see?” Zapp began to explain, “You might be onto something here, because I saw and ad exactly like this one just the other day!” Now they were getting somewhere! “Really?! Where did you find it?” Zapp told her, “I was pretty much skimming through the latest issue of some car magazine from the convenience store, but then I saw this ad! I did read a little bit but I didn’t think too much about it at the time.” Leona was starting to get intrigued, there could be more advertisements hidden in different magazines and if there were this could lead to where the missing persons have gone to. “Zapp, if you saw the same ad then there has to be more around the city! We have to tell Klaus and Steven immediately!” Zapp nodded, “You got it! Oh, and Leo.” Leona turned around to face him, and he gave her a smug grin. “I know you love boobs just as much as I do.” Leona Turned as red as a tomato at Zapp’s statement,  
“WHAT?! I’m not some pervert who constantly thinks with his dick like you do!” “Oh come on Leo, I know you like to take longing glances at the chief’s chest almost every hour you’re in the room with him!” Leo was starting to get annoyed with Zapp prying into her own sexual desires, “for your information I like to take a glimpse every two and a half hours and I stare for only ten minutes. That’s my rule, Thank you very much!” Zapp laughed obnoxiously, even though he was only wrong by a few points he was still somewhat correct.  
“I’ve never really understood what’s so special about dude’s pecs, I mean for me I think a handful of a woman’s boobs is the perfect amount for me. It has the best squishy to bouncy ratio in my opinion.” While Leona would mostly be embarrassed to know Zapp’s pseudo knowledge on breasts, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t impressed. “Even though Klaus’s chest isn’t like a woman’s they still have that squish factor but it’s only mild, mostly they’re very firm yet soft and supple.” Zapp was intrigued yet somewhat weirded out by her description of their boss’s man-goodies.  
“Really? I didn’t know that. Mostly when I think of a dude’s man-boobs I'm usually thinking of the saggy old man kind. Since chief has the body of a championship boxer I figured they’d be hard as rocks.”  
“No, no, You’d be surprised. Ya know, it’s kinda funny because I-” Leona had to stop herself there for a moment because they getting way too deep in the topic of Klaus’s chest.  
“Wait, why on earth am I discussing my boyfriends pectorals with you of all people?” If Klaus found out about this conversation he would probably die of embarrassment.  
They’ve only just recently got into having sex and sometimes Klaus would still feel an occasional shyness about it. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t enjoying it. Leona found Klaus to be a very wonderful sexual partner. To the both of them, when the made love it felt sacred somehow. Klaus always tried his hardest to show his love and affection for Leona physically and not just verbally. Sometimes he was very bold about it! Even though Steven supported their relationship wholeheartedly he was pretty strict that they kept their PDA down to a minimum and they were to absolutely NOT engage in any sexual activity while they were in HQ. However, there was this one time they decided to be spontaneous and decided to have some “fun times” in one of the closets. Unfortunately, they were both too paranoid whenever they thought they heard any footsteps outside the door. Apparently, neither of them were really good at playing the bad boy and bad girl that day. But even so, they had a very healthy sex life and Leona felt really glad to have someone as caring, and sensitive as Klaus in her life.Leona stopped her train of thought through Zapp’s laughter.  
“ heh! See Leo, this is why we need hang out more often we have more in common than you think we do.” Okay this was starting to get on her nerves.  
“Just because we had one conversation about the science of boobs doesn't mean that we are kindred spirits now Zapp!”  
“The science of what now?” Leona and Zapp then realised their conversation had continued just as they had entered the office. Leona blushed as she gave Zapp an, I know you planned this, face. Zapp averted any I contact with her and just whistled a merry tune. She was just thankful that Klaus was too enamoured with his work to regard Steven’s question about their passing conversation. Leona thought it best to avoid the subject and get the task at hand.  
“That’s not important.” Leona said nonchalantly. “However, I’ve found a seemingly important clue about the disappearances that you might want to know about.” Klaus stopped what he was doing when he heard Leona speak.  
Steven gave her a sweet smile which made her feel very weary. She’s only seen this side of him only once when HQ was under a security breach and were locked out at the worst possible moment. Apparently when Steven is under a lot of stress or very frustrated he acts all nice and cheerful because he is about to lose his shit and take his anger out on anyone who crosses his path or on some poor schmuck who had recently annoyed him the most. Leona guessed this case was harder on Steven than she thought.  
“Young Lady, ‘seemingly’ is not the word I want to hear right now, it either is important or it isn’t. So which is it?” The temperature in the office suddenly dropped about thirty degrees. Klaus decided it was best if he stepped in. Not just to protect Leona from Steven on the warpath but also as good friend, because he knew Steven would regret it later if Leona would be too scared to interact with him because he happened to lose his temper.  
“Now, Steven let’s hear her out. I’m sure whatever information she has gathered is very much worth our time.” Steven, then went back to his calmer self after listening to the voice of reason that is Klaus Von Reinherz.  
“Right, Thanks Klaus. Leona you may proceed.” Even though Leona was still somewhat wary of Steven considering his current mental state, she still sympathized with him.  
“I know your stressed Steven, this whole case has been one huge mess. But, I think I found a pretty viable clue towards the missing beyondians. Zapp can back me up on this since I showed him the clue on the way up here.”  
Leona then proceeded to tell the team what happened when she went to the cafe, and how the owner explained what has happened to her missing adopted daughter. When she showed Klaus and Steven the ad they were so surprised because of just how weird that it had so little information on it. It didn’t have a website URL, email address, not even a street address. They were not even sure if this was even designed within Hellsalem’s Lot, or even the country!  
After the explanation was over Klaus decided to ask the first question, “Leona, did your friend mentioned where Ms. Angela found the advertisement?”  
“Lady Winnow mentioned she found it in an old fashion magazine issue. She didn’t say where exactly but she may have found it in one of the kiosks or a 7 Eleven somewhere in the city.” Zapp decided to step in, “Leo could be right since I found a similar magazine ad just like this not too long ago. I didn’t really pay too much attention to it at the time since I thought it was just a scam.”  
Steven Asked, “do you still have the magazine with you?” I was actually still on the coffee table since he thought he’d read it while they were on standby. Good thing he didn’t finish it yet.  
“Do you think there might be more these around the city?” Klaus asked.  
This was when Chain decided to appear, and as usual perch herself on top of Zapp’s head. “I think it’s safe to say that they might because when I went out to buy a magazine I found the exact same ad!”  
Steven was getting very intrigued by this new turn of events, “and are you sure it’s exactly the same? All it had was just the job description and a phone number?”  
“Yes, exactly like that!”  
Steven clapped his hands together, “Okay, now I think this now an important and legit clue. However, we need to make sure that these advertisements are somehow linked to the rest of the disappearances. Everyone, we need to gather as much of these advertisements as we can to make sure that these aren’t the three here in vicinity. Not only that we need to check with the victim’s families and friends to see if they knew anything about the advertisements. Young lady, thank you for bringing this to our attention.”  
Klaus then gave her a thumbs up. It was one his sweet gestures to let her know that he was proud of her. While Steven and Klaus stayed behind to do some research on the ads the rest went out to talk to the victim’s loved ones or to gather up as much of the ads they possibly can.

Over the next few days Libra underwent a series of investigations into the connections between the advertisements and the disappearances. Chain and Zed went to nearly every convenience store and news stand in the city. She managed to find nearly over one hundred advertisements for the servant position and all of them had the same job description and phone number, but not other information on them! Leona and Zapp wen around to find the victims family members and ask them if they noticed anything strange before the victim went missing. All of the stories were almost the same as Lady Winnow and Anna’s. Apparently, most of the victims applied for the job because of the great pay. And just like Angela and her friend were only supposed to be there for only two weeks but once they left they never contacted them or came back home. As for Klaus and Steven they searched on every job posting sites for servant positions. Because information on the flyers were very limited it made the search more difficult. The flyer said that the pay is wonderful but there was no price and all the servant jobs all had pretty low to average wages. This mysterious servants job was really starting to sound suspicious to the whole Libra team.  
Leona and Klaus went to the police station to do a briefing of what they’ve found out so far. Needless to say Detective Law wasn’t too happy that he was given this information after Libra did their investigation further into this case.  
“Leona, I know that because you are a member of libra you are slightly biased to go to the first, but you really should have given this information to the PROPER authorities!”  
Leona resented that statement! She wasn’t biased towards Libra, right? “I’m sorry Mr. Law, but since I already had a shift at the headquarters that afternoon I figured I should tell Steven and Klaus first.”  
The steaming detective was not convinced. “I think you’re just making excuses because your boy toy here is Libra’s head honcho!”  
Klaus blushed at that statement. Now that everyone knows that Leona and Klaus are officially an item now, their closest friends have been talking and making fun of them behind their backs. Klaus and Leona didn’t mind too much but it does get kind of old that their relationship is being treated like some corny soap opera!  
“Your police chief should have told you that he personally requested us to look into this case alongside you and your team.” Klaus was quick to remind him.  
“Ya, ya I know, but I figured that because you were also getting nothing dead ends that you have given up by now”.  
Klaus frowned at that, “Libra is never one to give up or run away.”  
Detective Law, was once again amazed how brutally stubborn and headstrong he can be despite being such a gentleman. He was about to apologize for his rudeness when suddenly he felt a chill. And Mr. Law wasn’t the only one who felt this way. Leona felt it too. He, was coming this way.  
“My, my, what a surprise, Ms. Leona, such a pleasure to grace us with your lovely presence today.”  
Ugh, barf! “Hi, Mr. Crane nice to see you too.” She was so not happy to see him again. She was glad she was able to avoid him until now. However, on the brightside Klaus was with her today and hopefully his presence will tone down Mr. Crane’s directness.  
Mr. Crane frowned at the sight of Klaus. “And who is this uh, remarkable gentleman with you?”  
“My name is Klaus Von Reinherz, I am helping the police along with the missing persons case” Leona was kind of surprised, Klaus would usually hand out Libra business cards but he did not tell him about it. Did Klaus had a bad feeling about this guy too?  
Mr. Crane was looking at Klaus with intense focus. He was kind of creeping him out to be honest.  
“Hmmm, I have heard about you Mr. Von Reinherz, and your many good deeds for this city. And pray tell me what is your relationship towards Leona?”  
Klaus didn’t need to hide this. He knew that many men have feelings towards her, but he was not afraid to tell them that they are in a romantic relationship. However, it would seem Leona grabbed hold of the reins in this case.  
“He’s my boyfriend, Mr. Crane. We’ve been together for almost a year now.”  
God did Klaus love this woman! Her independent and brave spirit was what he adored the most about her.  
After Leona and Klaus’s incident with Lacey, she decided to never lead any man on again and would always tell them that she was in a relationship when they got too flirty.  
Mr. Crane glared at Klaus a bit to long than what Klaus was comfortable with. Even Klaus understands that too much eye contact can get a little creepy. The assistant chief then smiled softly.  
“Well, you are quite a lucky man, Mr. Von Reinherz...If you’ll excuse me.”  
And with that he quickly walked away. All of them were rather relieved that he was gone.  
“Heh, maybe you should bring Klaus with you more often Leo! Man, it feels good to see his over-inflated ego go down a few pegs.”  
“Klaus can’t always be my bodyguard Mr. Law. He has his own duties he has to think about too and I can’t always be his number one priority.”  
Even though Leona had a point, it still hurts when he can’t place Leona’s needs above his own. He admires her independence that is true, But there were times where he wished she would rely on him a little more. He guesses that even after the whole ordeal with Dr. Gamimotz, she still feels that she does not fully deserve the help and generosity of others when she clearly does.  
Leona does so much to help others and she deserves to have that kindness pay her back tenfold!  
“Leona, you know I will always help you whenever you are in need. I know you are an independent woman but whenever you are hurt I will come running if I have to. You know that right?”  
Leona blushed, God, I love this man! “Ya, I know.”  
“You’re starting to give me diabetes again Leona! Anyway, about the job placements. Since there doesn't seem to be any more information about them, and you guys seem to be more on top on this case than we are. I highly suggest that one of you guys make the call to them. You don’t have to make an appointment for an interview, at least not yet, but I think it’s important we know who is on the other end of the phone.”  
Yes, since there were absolutely no other way to do more research on the ads and this so called “employer” seems to be that much of a mystery It was time they made that call.

When Klaus and Leona went back to the office, They announced it was time to call that number. Since in the job description they were looking for people from their very late teens to their mid-twenties, Leona offered to make the call to them since she matched their age requirement perfectly.  
“Put them on speaker Leona, I think all of should know who we are dealing exactly.”  
Everyone gathered around Leona to get a good listen.  
“Shh it’s ringing.” Leona whispered.  
It felt like it was going on forever until finally someone answered.  
“Hello, this is the Mamiya residence.”


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as the word Mamiya came up when the receiver answered Leona’s call, Klaus’s face turned pale and he could feel his heart start pounding in his chest. He had hoped that this was a name that he would never have to hear from ever again...life really did have a sick and twisted sense of humor sometimes.  
Because of Leona’s heightened senses as a blood breed she could easily notice Klaus’ distress as soon as the woman on the other end said the words Mamiya residence. Just who were they? Leona only heard of them a few times on TV. Apparently they are a part of the ultra elite and their company’s net worth is about over of a billion dollars. However, that was all she knew. She honestly didn’t know what they’re products were exactly. Did Klaus meet them once? And if he did what did they do to have him so spooked?  
“Hello, is anybody there?” Leona quickly snapped out of it and answered immediately. The woman on the other end sounded close to Leona’s age maybe older.  
“Yes, hi! My name is Leona Watch, I’m calling to ask a few questions about the job offer?” Everyone in the room had remained silent. They wanted the receiver to think that Leona is alone.  
“Oh yeah! That’s totally fine! Actually why don’t I put you in through the Mistress? I’m sure she will be more than happy to answer whatever questions you may have.” The maid on the other sounded pretty friendly. But then again personalities can be deceiving so Leona had to keep her guard up.  
“Sure! That’d be wonderful.” Leona was surprised how smoothly this was going. Steven especially looked especially happy since everyone will know who is the possible suspect of the disappearances.  
“Great! Just give me a minute and i’ll connect you to her immediately...Madame, there is a Ms. Leona Watch on the other end, she has a few questions about the maid position.”  
“Excellent! Please, put her on.” The woman sounded completely refined. Definitely the voice that belonged to the head of any important household. Leona almost became enchanted by that voice.  
Klaus on the other hand was not. He held one hand over his stomach and another over his mouth. He ran out of the room with great urgency. He felt so sick that he couldn’t even excuse himself to leave. Gilbert quickly followed after him to make sure that his young master was okay. Everyone was really stunned when Klaus just bolted out of the office like that. Just who was this woman exactly and how did they know each other. These were questions that Leona will have to ask later.  
“Hello? Ms. Watch? Is everything okay? I heard something pretty loud on your end, it sounded like you had an elephant in your room.”  
Leona began to panic. Steven was mouthing for Leona to improvise and come up with an excuse. “Oh Yeah! I’m fine, that was just my next door neighbor. The walls in my apartment are pretty thin.”  
There was a long pause but she eventually answered. “Ah I see, Honestly, I don’t think I could stand to live in an apartment! Not even if it was in the penthouse! But anyway, my name is Marie Mamiya, I am the head of this household. Now then what questions do you have for me?”  
Leona got straight to the questions. “Well, I read the description on the advertisement. But could you give me some more details about the position?”  
“Certainly! This will be a live-in maid position. Basically, you will be asked to do the typical cooking, cleaning, a few odd jobs here and there and of course tending the families needs when summoned. You will get your own bedroom during your employment, and meals will be provided. The job will last for about two weeks, but if you wish extend your employment you may as long as you do good job during the first two weeks. Unfortunately, we do live out here in the sticks right in the Catskills as a matter of fact, and I know not many people are too happy about that. We’ve just had an employee quit on us and we’re short handed enough on staff lately and it would be great if you would come to apply. Any prior skill requirements are not necessary. Do you have any other questions?”  
So far the information Madame Mamiya was giving to Leona seemed just like a normal maid position however, she was still guarded plus she really wanted to know about the pay and what made it so great.  
“Well, not to sound too greedy but the flyer mentioned that the pay was really great. Just how much are we talking about here?”  
Leona heard the mistress laugh over the phone. “Hahaha! To be honest I’m surprised, most people would ask that question first. Well, how does eighty-thousand sound to you?”  
Zapp practically drooled at the number! The pay did sound too good to be true!  
“Wow! That much! That is definitely more than what a servant would make! To be honest, it almost sounds too good to be true.”  
“Nonsense! The Mamiyas are very generous, and we even offer more pay if you get a promotion. Well, then now that the pay should be enough to convince you would you like schedule an interview here?”  
Leona looked to Steven for an answer, he mouthed three days. “Um, I’m not too sure right now. Is it okay if you give me three day to think it over and give you my answer then?”  
“Of course, the position will still be open by then.”  
“Thanks. Talk to you then.” After that she hung up.  
Everyone was silent for a long time. Zapp was the first one to speak up.  
“Holy shit! Imagine with what you could do with that kind of money! And all just from a lowly servant position!”  
Steven was also bewildered as well. But that pay made this job even more suspicious. And not just the job the entire Mamiya family as well. They said that they were generous but he wasn’t convinced. Even though Klaus’ family was very generous and treated their staff very well, they didn’t pay them with that kind of money in just two weeks.  
“What do we do now?” Chain asked.  
“It’s possible that one of us will have to go under cover for this one” Said Steven. He was right since it would be better have someone investigate the inside of the Mamiya household.  
Zed decided to speak up. “It’s obvious that they will be expecting Leona, But there is no way we should send her?”  
Zapp started to intervene. “And why the hell not?! She’s a part of our team too! Plus she’s a blood breed, I’m sure she’d fine.”  
“It sounds as if you want to throw her to the dogs!” Chain decided to enter the argument.  
“I agree! I’m not gonna let my precious, baby angel go through any more trauma than she already has.” Just like a mom K.K. held Leona’s head to her chest  
The four of them began to carry on whether or not Leona should be the one to go or not. Even though she’s a blood breed and dealt with far worse when it came to moments of survival, she was still a living being with feelings and they did not know what the Mamiya’s were capable of.  
Their constant bickering was getting on Steven’s nerves.  
“OKAY ENOUGH!” Everyone turned around to face Steven.  
“Look, since Leona was the one who made the first call to the Mamiyas this should be her decision to make. No one is going to force you to go young lady, but no is going to stop you either. If you decide you don’t want to take on this mission we can have someone else call them and schedule the interview. But if you do decide to go, you have to go alone. Will provide you with the proper equipment to gather evidence. You have been given three day to decide so choose wisely, okay?”  
Leona could only nod. She has never really gone on a mission by herself before. When she would go out on missions she would always be paired up with Zapp, Zed, or both. She really needed to think about it. But first she really needed to make sure Klaus was okay.

Leona went to find Klaus in the conservatory. Just as she approached the door she noticed Gilbert coming out.  
“Is he feeling okay, Gilbert?” Leona was really worried, she had never seen Klaus looked this bad. Yes, he has been through a lot of fights but this was something entirely new to her. And honestly, it was more frightening.  
Gilbert let out a sad sigh. “Oh, I’m afraid Master Klaus had suffered from a bout of nausea brought on by an attack of nerves. He is feeling a little better but he’s currently resting in the conservatory right now.”  
“Should I just leave him alone until he feels well enough?” Leona asked, worriedly.  
Gilbert smiled. “Quite the contrary. I think he would really would like you to stay with him. And besides a lovely young lady such as yourself tending any man in his condition, would easily make him feel right as rain again.”  
Leona blushed. Gilbert is such a sweet man and he really cares for his young master very much. Not only that he is really charming but in a humorous way.  
“Haha, flatterer.” Leona complimented.  
Gilbert opened the door for her and walked right on in, but quietly as not to disturb Klaus. All of the plants have been well taking care of. Leona wondered if Gilbert took charge of the plants today considering Klaus’ temporarily delicate constitution today? Leona was able to find Klaus laying down on a Patio chaise lounge chair. His elbow was resting on the arm of the chair while he was holding a damp cloth over his eyes.  
Even though the cloth was covering only half of his face he still looked a little pale but a little bit of color had returned to his face. Leona perked up her ears. His breathing was steady, but his heart was still beating a little fast. Leona was saddened by seeing Klaus in this state. He had always been there for her when she had the once-in-a-blue-moon panic attacks and other times of emotional distress. She wanted to pay back the favor by being there for him too.  
Leona sat down by the edge the chaise. Klaus began to stir a little bit from his rest.  
“Leona...is that you my love?” He said it so weak that it almost sounded like a whisper.  
“I’m here Klaus.” “Are you alone?” “I am.” “That’s good I don’t want anyone else to see me like this.”  
“Klaus, how are you feeling? I was pretty shocked when you bolted out of the office like that.”  
Klaus sighed, “I’m sorry you had to see that. It’s just that person on the phone...she...I”  
“Shhhhh...It’s okay...you don’t have to talk about it right now...just focus on getting better. Do you still feel nauseous?”  
He took a deep breath. “It doesn’t feel too bad now. However, I do still feel a little queasy.”  
Leona scooted up the lounger a few inches. She started rubbing slow and soothing circles on Klaus’ tummy.  
“When Michael got sick he would get pretty bad stomach aches. So sometimes I would rub his stomach in a slow clockwise motion and that helped make him feel a little bit better.”  
Klaus let out a contented sigh. “Thank you mein Schatz...that does feel really nice.”  
“Klaus you have always been there to take care of me whenever my anxiety crept up on me or whenever I was in emotional distress. I need you to know, that I will always do the same for you too. Because...wonderful men like you...don’t deserve to have bad days.”  
Klaus felt a lump form in his throat. It was a good thing that his handkerchief was covering his eyes because he didn’t want Leona to see the tears running down the side of his face.  
However, Leona noticed his lip quivering. Oh dear, she didn’t mean to make him cry.  
She scooted a bit closer to his face to lift up the wet cloth. She expected Klaus to try to keep it on but he didn’t resist. His eyes were red as well as his nose from sniffling.  
Klaus tried to rub the tears away. “I’m sorry, I’m not really in a gentlemanly state right now.”  
Leona took Klaus’ hand away from his eyes and kissed it. “It’s okay klaus. You don’t have to hide your tears from me. And besides, I get emotional when I’m sick too.”  
How is it that Leona knows how to touch his heart in so many ways? Klaus continued to cry softly as Leona stayed beside him and continued holding onto his hand. They stayed together in silence for what seemed like hours. 

After Klaus calmed down,they began talking again. Not about the phone call, he didn’t feel ready to talk about it just yet. They just talked about casual topics. She even told him about her and Zapp’s conversation about breast science and that managed to get him laughing.  
“Ugh it feels so pathetic that this might be the one thing we have in common.” Even though it was embarrassing she was glad this got him to start smiling again.  
“It’s not pathetic...Well maybe on Zapp’s end it is, but you, never.” Leona blushed.  
“You do have a nice pair of pectorals Klaus…”  
“Hmhmhm, so I’ve been told.” Now that Klaus was able to get his giggle in today after that episode he was feeling much better.  
“You know Klaus I was planning on having a little sparring date tonight, but I think we should do a rain check on that. I know you're feeling better better but it’s probably best you don’t do any strenuous activity today.”  
Leona had a point. Even though Klaus was feeling better. He was still feeling drained from the nausea and the crying, he didn’t really feel like doing any kind of physical activity that day. However, he still wanted to be with his Leona that night.  
“Your probably right about the sparring. However, I wouldn’t mind just skipping to the part where we take a bath and order in dinner.”  
How could she say no to a face like that? “Sure, that would be very nice. But, we should probably order something light for dinner. How about chicken parm and linguine with caesar salad on the side?  
Klaus was content with that. “That would be wonderful.”  
Leona helped Klaus out the chaise and told gilbert they were ready to go back to Klaus’ residence for the night. Once they were back at Klaus’ apartment Gilbert retired for the evening. He trusted that Leona would continue to take care of his young master in his stead. Afterwards, Leona got the hot water running and added some soothing lavender oil to the water. She wanted Klaus to feel as relaxed as possible. Once the bathtub was full enough she stripped off her clothes, tied her hair back and got into the bath. Klaus knocked to enter the bathroom, and Leona held her knees to her chest. He was only wearing a towel around his waist. Klaus moved to the tub. Leona moved forward to give Klaus room to get in to the tub. The bath water overflowed a little because of his size but that was okay since the drain on the floor would take care of that. Once Klaus was settled Leona leaned back against his chest. Her hair was tickling him a little. She really did have such lovely skin. Klaus had to ask.  
“Leona, may I…*gulp*...wash your breasts for you?” Leona smiled. He’s always such a gentleman, and she loved that.  
“Only if you let me wash yours afterwards.” Klaus smiled. He’d being lying if he said he didn’t love having his chest played with.  
Klaus took some of the mint body wash from the stand next to him and rubbed the lotion into a lather. He was hesitant at first but he placed both of his hands under her D-cup breasts. He could feel her heart pounding underneath her bosom. Even though her neck, bottom and feet are his favorite parts of Leona’s body, her breasts are really nice too. Then again, he loved everything about her body. He started his massage slowly. Leona let out a small gasp.  
“Are you all right? I’m not pressing too hard am I?” Leona shook her head. “No, I’m just feeling really sensitive right now.”  
“I can tell, your heart is beating so fast, it’s like a little bird trying to break free from it’s cage”  
“Huh, ya don’t say?” Leona squeaked.  
Klaus chuckled then continued with his massage. Her breasts were becoming very smooth thanks to the lotion. Whenever he gently pressed her plump mounds in, they would always push his hands back out. When Klaus started pinching her nipples, Leona’s breathing started getting a little heavy. “Klaus...could you...wash…me...down there...too?”  
Klaus was only too glad to help. He kept his left hand on her chest while he moved his right hand in between her thighs until he stopped right at her womanhood. He decided to play a little bit with the insides of her folds. Leona was squirming a bit in between Klaus’ legs. He then moved on to her clitoris. “Gah, GASP!!!” He was getting to her favorite part when he touched her. She was moaning and whimpering at the pleasure she was receiving. While Klaus’s index finger was stroking her he decided to move his fingers into her warm insides. He slowly started to massage her G-spot, just to get a rhythm going.  
“Klaus...please...more, I need more, ahhhhhh!” It was getting hard to talk in coherent sentences because of the pleasure. Her stomach was starting to ache a little.  
Klaus then moved at a medium pace, and soon enough he was as fast as he could get. He could feel she was about to climax soon because he could feel her moist walls pulse around his fingers.  
“Klaus...yes...yes...I’m going to...I-I-I’m going to-AHHHHHHHHaahh!!!”  
After that Leona leaned back against Klaus’ chest. Her breathing was starting to come down after that high.  
After Leona caught her breath she turned around to face Klaus. She smiled sweetly as her mouth approached his ear.  
“It’s your turn…” she whispered.  
Klaus felt a tingle go down his spine as sweetly kissed his ear. Before she took the body wash she cupped some water in her hands to wet Klaus’ chest first. She wanted to play with him a little bit before she got to the lather. She noticed he’d gotten hard while he was playing with her sex. However, that was going to have to wait. Since Klaus made her heart race she wanted to make his beat a little faster too. She cupped her hands under his breasts and gave them a small squeeze.  
“Mmmph...ahh” Even though they’d only just started he was feeling pretty sensitive. She placed her hand on his left breast. His heart was going at a medium-fast pace but it was still pounding pretty hard against her hand. Klaus let out a laugh as he placed his hand on top of Leona’s.  
“Is this payback, my love?” Klaus asked with a faux-innocence.  
Leona averted his eye contact. “I just want you to feel good too.”  
Klaus chuckled as he leaned in closer to kiss her soft pink lips. “Leona, no matter what, you never fail to make my heart skip a beat.” Klaus said with a blush.  
“Eek!” it was supposed to be her turn dammit!  
For that, she moved her hands out of the way and started kissing his nipples. Even though the mounds of his chest were pretty sensitive his nipples were driving him absolutely crazy. Leona began to suck on them.  
“AAHH!...ahh..ahhh...mmph” It’s been a while since she played with like this. Mostly he enjoyed her delightful, French kisses because his mouth was also one of his top erogenous zones. However, his chest can become very responsive if she hadn't touched them in a while.  
Leona decided it was best to start the lather, she wanted him to feel good but she also wanted to clean him too. She began her massage in smooth circles around each breast and worked her way way down to the nipples. They were pretty hard, so she gave them a playful pinch every now and then.  
“ahhhh...ahhhh...Le-Leona, please can you?”  
“You're going to have to ask clearly Klaus” Leona scolded him mirthfully.  
He whined a little, “Please, wash...me...down...there?”  
“Very good.” Leona gave him a nice long kiss as a reward  
He, was at full mast right now, it looked like it hurt. When she grabbed it with both of her hands, Klaus let out a long groan. He really needed this release.  
She played with his length with loving caresses. She wanted to save the tip for hen he was getting over the edge. “Do you like this, Klaus?” Leona was starting to feel aroused again so she let her left hand do all the work, while she used her right to touch herself.  
“Yes!, I-I-I love it!...I Love you, AHH! I Love everything...about you!”  
Leona was feeling good down there too, she was about to cum again. Klaus could feel himself about to climax as well, his member was pulsing in time with his heart.  
“Leona...I think I’m...I’m going t-to...ahh!”  
“Me too! Let’s do it together!” Leona was working herself and Klaus so fast that they let out loud pleasurable cries. After their climax Klaus leaned his head back against the tub and Leona collapsed on his chest. They both caught their breath as they were basking in the afterglow.  
Leona got up to kiss his cheek. “I love you Klaus.” Klaus smiled. “And I you, mein Liebling.”  
After that Klaus and Leona got out of the tub and dried each other off. After they got into some cozy PJs Leona placed in the order for their food for delivery. Their food looked absolutely delicious! Even though Klaus told Leona that his stomach was feeling better, she still asked him not to overeat that night.  
“Am I beginning to sound too much like a nagging housewife?”  
Klaus Laughed, “No not at all! I’m glad you care about my health. And you are right. After my nausea episode I do need to be careful.  
Klaus and Leo did the dishes after dinner and then treated themselves to some raspberry sorbet he had in the freezer. Afterwards they headed to the bedroom where the cuddled and watched some historical dramas, on Netflix. Everything was going fine, but Klaus was still feeling a bit uneasy. He still didn’t know what happened during that phone call. And he still needed to tell Leona about...her. He didn’t understand it. He did so much to repress that family name from his memory and all of a sudden it comes back. And not only that, they are the potential main culprits in a series of disappearances. He knew he couldn’t keep this from Leona forever but…  
“Klaus are you okay?”  
Klaus forgot, because of her blood breed abilities she can easily detect any physical reaction to a person when they are feeling anxious. This ability has come in handy numerous times when they detained a suspect. In a way she was like a living lie detector. However, in times like these that ability can be somewhat intrusive. But Klaus didn’t care, he and Leona have an open and honest relationship. She deserved to know.  
Klaus turned off the TV and got up from the bed and went toward the window with his back facing Leona.  
“Leona, I know you are probably wondering as to why I reacted they way that I did when...her voice appeared on the receiving end of your phone?”  
Leona needed to know. “Klaus, are you sure you want to talk about this now?” He’s already been through so much that day, she didn’t want to see him suffer again.  
“I’m fine, and besides I can’t hold off on this conversation forever.”  
Klaus turned around and sat cross legged on the bed while Leona faced him while, sitting on her legs.  
“It was ages ago. I was about fourteen years old at the time, my elder brothers and sister were either in university or boarding school at that time. Since Von Reinherz children don’t start there boarding school experience until they turned fifteen, I still studied under private tutors and lived with my parents at our family estate. However during that year my parents and I went to New York state on holiday. My siblings were doing their own activities at the time so they didn’t come with us. It was quite lovely at first, I loved seeing the national landmarks as well as the resorts there. However, my parents received an invitation to a soiree at the...Mamiya household. My parents heard of them but they didn’t know any of the intricate details about them. All they knew was that they were an aristocratic Japanese, Italian family who had a billion dollar conglomerate. What products they sold my parents did not know. The Mamiyas were also known to throw very lavish parties, however, they were very exclusive parties. My parents thought it was best if they went to the party, mostly so they can form a friendship with local nobility. Because I was fourteen my parents though it would be fine if I went too.”  
Klaus felt himself growing cold. After all this time of repression he still remembered that awful day. Leona took his hand and gave it a squeeze. She sat in his lap and leaned on his chest.  
“Klaus you don’t have to continue if you don’t wanna.”  
“Don’t worry my love. Anyway, we went to the party and there were a lot of people from wealthy families. When we went in...I don’t know...It may have been intuition or my intense shyness, but I felt a sense of dread in my gut. That was when I saw her...Marie Mamiya. Her husband was still alive at the time when we first met her. Before I encountered the blood breed the Mamiyas are a form of evil, that no child should ever have to witness. My parents noticed that something was very off about this couple. I mostly noticed it in the wife. Those ember eyes were staring straight into me. It was as if she was sizing me up like a prized horse. They were polite when they greeted us when we entered their home. However, I mostly hid behind my mother. Even though I was fourteen, I felt so scared I was reduced back to a childlike state in their presence. We were only there for ten minutes until we saw the awful events unfold. I dare not describe it to you, but all I can say is that it felt as if we stepped into the circle of lust from “Dante’s Inferno”. It certainly smelled like it too. I can still remember the agonizing faces of the servants, the drunken laughter from those evil men. We left shortly after that. But I still felt that woman’s eyes staring a hole into the back of my head. Afterward my parents tried to contact the police about the incident and the abuse we have witnessed. However, Their hand were tied. The Mamiyas are a very influential family and even have gone far as to bribe the authorities so they can get away from anything. That was my family did more research on the family. Apparently they have been around for over a millenia. They first started out in Japan and they did everything from sharecropping, money laundering, and loan sharking. And apparently when they did sharecropping in the past many of the victims who suffered from their cruelty became so poor that some of them had to sell their daughters to the family.  
Leona was so shocked and disgusted by Klaus has told her that she could barely speak. She was still trying to wrap her head around it. She knew that it would be naive of her to think that wouldn’t be any more people like that, but after living in Hellsalem’s Lot for this long she wasn’t even surprised.  
“There was even more rumors about the family itself besides the organized crime. It’s possible they have lead cults, Practiced incest, or were actually succubi and incubi in disguise. I think the demon part was exaggerated as well as the incest but after everything I have heard from my parents I would be surprised. Well, now you know.  
“Jesus, Klaus...I can’t believe you saw something that horrible.” Even before his encounter with the blood breed he had to deal with this bullshit. Poor Klaus just couldn’t catch a break.  
She gave him a hug. “I’m sorry Klaus...Jeez it’s like you couldn’t even catch a break when you were a teen.”  
“I’m sorry, mein Schatz. I didn’t mean to upset you like this. Besides, it wasn’t all bad. Everything worked out, I’m here right beside you, yes?”  
He was right, of course.  
“Now then, I think I would to know of what just happened in the phone call. Now that everything's out in the open now.”  
Leona told him everything about when on in her discussion with the lady of the house. From the questions about the job to too-good-to-be-true pay. However, now came the hardest part.  
“I know you’re probably not going to like this, but...since I was the one who called the Mamiya household first, Steven gave me three days to decide on whether or not I want to take this mission. Steven, seemed pretty neutral about it but, Chain, Zed, and K.K. were the only ones who are really adamant that I don’t go. Zapp seems to be the only one who thinks I should. However, after everything you just told me about this place...now I’m not so sure on what I should do.”  
Even though she valued her teammates opinions, Klaus was special, she needed to hear how he feels about this.  
Klaus sighed as he laid back on the bed. He really needed to think this through. He was always nervous when Leona was out on dangerous missions with Zapp and Zed. Some of those missions turned out fine, but sometimes Leona would end up in trouble. And because she did not want her status as a blood breed to be exposed to the masses she couldn’t really use her powers. And her All-Seeing-Eyes of the Gods can only help her out so much. However, Klaus noticed how frustrated she can be whenever the rest of Libra had to come save her when she was in a pickle. She hated being the damsel in distress and she hated being constantly treated with kid gloves. One time she needed rescuing she was so frustrated and angry that she didn’t show up at libra for a whole week! She didn’t even contact Klaus, and that hurt. They made up but, Klaus didn’t want to deal with the silent treatment ever again. There was only one thing he could do.  
He sat up straight, and then said, “Leona, I have to agree with Steven on this one. This is your decision to make. I know you have been frustrated lately, how you sometimes wished you weren’t the damsel in distress of the team, correct?”  
Leona felt like she was going to cry. Klaus hit her right where she lived. She really hated being treated like she’s the baby of the Libra family, the hindrance to the team and wished she could use her powers like her colleagues can but because she is a blood breed she can’t really do that yet.  
“My darling, we never, not once, thought of you as a burden. Remember you talked about this one, anime and how they constantly used the stereotypical, “friendship is magic” trope? Well, yes we can’t really rely on the power of friendship to face our enemies.”  
Even though Klaus was not an anime fan like she was, Leona was glad that he was able to understand what she was talking about in that conversation.  
“However, what I do know is that there are some missions we take, that can be too much for one member to complete. I am not all powerful Leona, I never was. Sometimes I need Steven’s help as well as yours sometimes. If we are bigger in numbers than we have a better chance at taking on our foes. In Libra, we treat our members like family, and we always look out for our own. So please. Don’t take us helping you as an insult.”  
Klaus was right. During the moments when she was all alone in this city the team she always wanted to turn to was Libra. And she knew, they would always have her back as well as she would have theirs.  
Leona made a promise to a friend and she intended to keep it. She knew what she had to do.

“YOU’RE WHAAAAAAT!!!???” On the third day, Leona had made her decision and decided to take on the undercover mission. Klaus, Steven, and Zapp were understanding, the others, not so much.  
“Leona you can’t be serious!?” K.K. honestly thought Leona was out of her mind.  
“You're joking, right? Please tell me you’re joking!” Chain was in denial.  
“Leona, I know you are a blood breed, but this mission might be too much for you to handle!” Zed was trying to talk her out of it.  
“Guys come one, she said she wanted to go! And I say we let her!”  
“Who asked you, you dumb monkey!?” This was getting out of hand. One half was willing to let her go on this mission but the others were against it.  
K.K. marched up to Steven and pulled on his collar. “Steven, you cold hearted scarface! You can’t make her do this! She’s not some piece of meat to be tossed to the dogs!”  
Steven was getting annoyed, “No one is making her do anything! This was Leona’s choice to go undercover for us, and it is not my decision to say otherwise!”  
Next was Zed’s turn to argue, “Klaus you’re her boyfriend! Isn’t it your duty to protect her? You should just let one of us do this mission in her place!”  
Klaus understood his concern, however, “Zed, what do you expect me to do? Lock her up? Put bars on her windows? Our relationship is not one based off jealousy and obsession. She would not be happy if I was overprotective of her all the time!”  
Everyone was just kept going around in circles with their arguments, and this was really making Leona angry. There was only one thing to do at a time like this!  
“GUYS THIS HAS TO STOP!” She flashed her eyes open and possessed the sights of everyone in the room.  
Once the dizziness had faded, they all had Leona’s attention.  
“Guys look, I know you all have my best interests at heart. I know that each and everyone of you cares about my safety. However, I have a question for all of you. Am I, or am I not a part of Libra?”  
Everyone went silent. And each one of them had guilt written on their faces.  
“Klaus?” Leona asked, “Of course you are, my love!”  
“Steven?” “Absolutely.”  
“Zapp?” “Heeell Yeah!”  
“K.K.” “Yeah...you are.”  
“Chain.” She could only nod.  
“Zed?” He was silent for a few minutes but then he sighed, “...Yes.”  
“I know you guys are scared, so am I. I mean who wouldn’t in this situation. But there are thousands of families, friends, lovers, all of these people are just being left hanging and worrying about whether or not the victims are still alive or not. Beyondians are disappearing left and right as well as huma. This has been happening for far too long! I made a promise to a friend that would figure out what happened to her sister, and I plant to keep it. I know you guys aren’t really happy with my choice. But I know you guys will have my back, even though I’ll be going alone. I just don’t want to be treated like the baby of the team forever, you understand? This is the mission I chose, and I’m going to stand by that decision.”  
Everyone stayed silent for a while.  
“Tsk” Zed stomped out of the office. Leona guessed he’s a little mad at her for going. He probably thought she was being selfish.”  
“God damn it!” Zapp chased after him.  
Chain was the first to approach her. She had a few tears in her eyes, but then she gave her a hug. “You dummy...Who am I gonna drink with now?”  
Leona laughed and returned the hug. “Aww Chain, you’re going to make me cry! It won’t be long, I’ll only be gone for two weeks.”  
K.K. started balling and ran to join in on the hug. “You’re growing up so fast! WAAAHH!!”  
“K.K. My ribs...They’re collapsing...can’t...breath!” Even though Leona’s lungs were being crushed she was happy. “And don’t worry if those creeps start making trouble we’ll beat them up!”  
Klaus and Steven could only stare at the three from a distance.  
“I’m proud of you Klaus, I’m glad that you are not going full on papa bear mode on Leona.”  
“Papa bear mode?”  
“That’s what we call it when you start fretting and get overprotective with one of us.”  
Klaus smiled, “I see, but...that’s just how I am.”

Zapp chased Zed into his room. “HEY! FISHCAKE!”  
Zed turned around to face him, “What?”  
“What the hell was that about!? Didn’t you just tell Leona that she is a part of Libra? Why are acting like such a bitch about this?!”  
Zed was silent. But then his eyes narrowed and his feelings just exploded. “Why?....WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO DO THIS!? WHY DOES SHE THINK SHE HAS DEAL WITH THIS ON HER OWN?! JUST WHAT IS SHE TRYING TO PROVE!?”  
Then came the waterworks. “Why...why does she have to be so selfish? Doesn't she know how much we care about her?”  
‘God this is annoying’ Thought Zapp. “I don’t think you understand. Weren't you listening to her?! Of course, she knows we have her back! Also she’s known the risks of working for us since the moment she joined our team!”  
Zed blinked a few times.  
“And besides she isn’t the frightened little princess you think she is. She’s one of us. We’re Libra! And that means we never back down from a fight!”

Leona took out her cell phone, “Hi, could you direct me to Ms. Mamiya please...Hello, this is Leona Watch, I’d like to schedule an interview please?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Mamiya household!~

After the interview was scheduled, Leona was given the next few days to prepare for her mission. She couldn’t bring any weapons with her but that wasn’t a problem since any form of combat would not be required. Her undercover job of course, was to become a maid for the Mamiya household but, Leona’s main job was to capture evidence of the Mamiya’s cruelty, and find where the missing persons are being held. The most important part of her job however, is to survive. After Klaus told Leona of the infamous rumors of the Mamiya household she had no idea what she was capable of. Once the two weeks are up Libra will step in and get her out.  
The best part of her prep was the gadgets! Although she would only be using a few in order to help capture the evidence. Leona was getting pretty excited about the equipment she received. It was like she was in one of those spy movies she liked so much! She was handed a pair of camera contact lenses as well as camera glasses. The best part was that whenever Leona put them on they would automatically record any video and the information would go straight to the disk-drive. The disk drive would stay with Libra so they can check on her progress. Not only that they looked like any other pair of prescription glasses and contacts.  
In order to prevent The Mamiyas discovering she has the All-Seeing-Eyes of the Gods Leona will be using her transformation ability to change her eye color to the regular blue she once had before receiving the God’s eyes.  
The evening before Leona left for the Catskills Steven gave her a quick briefing on her mission. Leona knew the gist of what she has to do, but he needed to make double-triple sure if she one-hundred percent ready for this or not.  
“Now, young lady, I know that you have been told this over a thousand times by now, but I have to tell you, once Gilbert takes you to the estate there is no going back. Once you reach the gates your mission will officially start, and you will be on your own for two weeks. However, even though you will be there by yourself we will still be in your corner. Klaus, Zed, and I will keep track of your progress thanks to the camera eyewear you’ve received. Once the two weeks are up we will come and get you. If the interview flops and they don’t hire you, we will send someone else in your place. However, you will have to find your own way back if that happens. We will supply you with necessary funds for your mission. I doubt you will need it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. As I said before, Once you start there is no backing out. If you want to change your mind, now’s the time to do so.”  
Leona had given this a lot of thought over these past few days. She knew the risks involved in this mission, and she did not know what the Mamiyas will have in store for her when she gets there. However, she knew that this might be the only way to find the victims, whether they might be alive or dead. Not only that she can discover if their are any affiliates involved. Plus, there was also the promise she made. Of course, she wasn’t backing out now after she’s come this far!  
“I’m well aware of what I have to do on this mission, Steven. I’ve already gotten most of Libra’s approval for me to take this assignment. Not only that lives are at stake here. I refuse to let anymore victims be taken away again. I know I’m ready for this. So, no I refuse to back out.”  
Steven smiled, “atta girl! And like I said you may be at the estate by yourself but we will have your back from here. At the end of the day when you remove whatever eyewear cam you have on Klaus, Zed and I will work in shifts to go over whatever evidence you’ve found that day. Although, to be honest, I’m somewhat hesitant on letting Klaus in on reviewing the evidence tapes. If he sees the head of the household doing unseemly things to you, he’ll probably run out on foot to the Catskills to save you if he can’t have Gilbert take him there.”  
Leona chuckled a little, “I think you’re underestimating him a little, Steven. Klaus and I talked about this, and he promised me he’ll try to stay relaxed while I’m away. At least, I hope.”  
“Hahahaha! For both our sakes let’s hope he’s right. Well, you have an early day tomorrow. I suggest getting some rest before your trip.”  
“Thanks, Steven I will.”  
“See you in the AM.”  
Leona went to conservatory where Klaus was waiting for her. She tried to find Zed so she could talk to him, but for the past few days He’s been avoiding her. He was probably still upset about the whole thing. She really wanted to make up with him before she left tomorrow. Leona didn’t want things to stay like this between them while she was away.  
She hoped she would be able to see him in the morning before her trip.  
The rest of the evening, Leona wanted to do a sleepover with Klaus. She really didn’t want to be alone in her apartment the night before she left on her mission , because to be honest, she wasn’t sure what to expect when she got there. She knew it was too late to have doubts but the butterflies in her stomach just wouldn’t go away.  
Leona stood out on the balcony. It was a pretty cool evening with a few stray breezes here and there.  
“Feeling Nervous, my love?” Klaus stood in the archway of the balcony door. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her small frame to shield her away from the cold.  
“I’d be lying if I said no. I keep thinking if I’m doing the right thing? If I’m the right one to do this? I know that there are other members who are better suited for this mission than I am. What if I can’t find the missing victims and we have to go back to square one again? What if-”  
Klaus put his hand on Leona’s mouth and then kissed the crown of her head.  
“Leona I think any of us would be having the same doubts that you have. We are all worried about this mission and neither of us know how powerful they are. But I think this is my fault, I may have scared you with the stories I have told you. To be honest, I’m not even sure if I even believe what I said. My parents were the only ones who found out the rumors through the people who lived near the Mamiyas.”  
“No Klaus, I’m glad you told me. I can’t just go in the estate thinking this family is normal. If those rumors are true, I need to keep my guard up.”  
Leona yawned, it was getting late and she needed her sleep. Klaus led her to the bed, They got all cozy and cuddled as they were slowly dozing off. However, one question lingered in her mind. “Klaus?”  
“Hmm?”  
“Do you think Zed is still mad at me? He hasn’t talk to me while I was in prep mode, and I feel kinda bad to leave things the way they are now before I go.”  
“Well, he knows he can’t stay mad at you forever. He just wants you to be safe, we all do but he knows you want to do this mission. And besides, he did say you are a part of Libra. Just give him a bit more time to cool off. He’ll come around soon.”  
Leona hoped he was right. One thing's for sure though, is that she’s going to miss these little sleepovers she has with Klaus. Leona had found it easier to sleep when they became an official couple. She loves the warmth that radiated off his body, his breathing, his heartbeat and his occasional light snores. All those things had helped her have such pleasant dreams. Sometimes in the mornings when she is the first to wake up she would lay on top of him and kiss his nose and cheeks till he greeted her with a sweet, yet sleepy smile. Two weeks is still a pretty long time. She hoped that time will go fast as she does her mission. But she knows, that probably won’t happen.

The next morning, Klaus and Leona went to headquarters to help her prepare for the trip up state. Everyone was there to wish her good luck on her assignment. K.K. started crying and told her to be careful, and everyone was giving her hugs every few minutes. The only two people that weren't there yet was Zapp and Zed. Steven stepped up to give her the gear she will be needing. He was going to settle for a friendly handshake, but.  
“Oh come on, Steven you get a hug too.” Leona jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck.  
Steven smiled. He wasn’t exactly the touchy-feely type but, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t going to miss her.  
Leona then heard the familiar tough guy voice that belonged to Zapp. He was pretty much literally dragging Zed with him so he can say goodbye to her.  
“Zapp, this is hardly necessary! I can walk on my own, thank you!”  
“Oh no ya don’t! I saw you trying to sneak away, and I’m not gonna let ya do that again!”  
Zapp then pushed him in front of Leona. The silence was getting pretty awkward, so Leona decided to go first.  
“Hi, Zed...uumm...I’ll be heading off soon.”  
“So it would seem.”  
“Zed, I know you might still be mad at me, but I need you to know, that I chose this assignment. And yes maybe it was out selfishness, or self righteousness, I don’t know. But I promise, I will come home safely.”  
Zed was silent for a few minutes but then he spoke. “Leona...I’m not mad at you. I mean yes I was at first, but. It was mostly because I didn’t fully grasp the situation. I thought you were being selfish, or that you thought we didn’t care. That because you were a blood breed you could handle this on your own, and didn’t need us. But I was wrong. After all this time, I know that isn’t who you are. But I do know this. You are usually sensitive, usually nosey, usually funny, but most of all you are usually caring. Sometimes I think you care too much and that was probably the reason why it made me feel bad. That even though you only know a few of these people that have been affected by these kidnappings you are willing to go out of your way to help. I guess living with Master, had made me selfish. But after living here in this city, making friends, and finding love, it opened my eyes that I should learn to care more. However, I need you to know that you don’t have to carry the burdens all by yourself. You are a part of our family after all, and we’re lucky to have you here...I’m lucky to have you here.”  
Big tears started to well up in Leona’s eyes. She immediately jumped up to hug him and gave him a small peck on the cheek.  
“Thank you, Zed! I’m glad you’re not angry anymore.”  
Zed returned that hug. “Me too, Leo.”  
“Zed is right Leona.” Klaus stepped in. “Even though this is a solo mission for you, we will be with you in spirit. We will be watching your progress as the two weeks go by. But please for all our sakes. Be careful, mein liebling.”  
Leona nodded her head. “I will.” Klaus bent down to give her a kiss on the forehead and a hug.”  
“I’ll miss you, my love.”  
“ Me too Klaus. I love you.” “I love you too”.  
Gilbert opened the back seat for Leona. “Your carriage awaits my lady.” He helped carry her rolling suitcase into the trunk as she sat herself down in the backseat. Klaus closed the door for her. He took one last look at her through the window and placed his hand on the glass. Leona placed her’s where his hand is. Once Gilbert started the car, he backed away to join the group. Leona looked in the back in the rear-view window until they were far from sight.  
Klaus stood by steven as they watched the car sped out of view. “Do you think we’re doing the right thing Steven? I Know we gave her our consent, but…” He sighed, “I was thinking the exact same thing Klaus. However, this was not our decision to make, it was all her’s. But, I trust we’ve made the right choice. She really has grown since she came to join Libra. She’s become bolder too. Kind of reminds me of you actually.”  
“I’ve seen that bravery grow too. I am so proud of her Steven, so proud.”  
He noticed that Klaus was getting a little teary eyed. “Huh, I thought you’d start crying the moment she stepped into the car. Come on, let's go inside before you decide to chase after them.”

The drive up to the Catskill mountains take about three hours and nineteen minutes. They only had to stop once to refuel the car and use the bathroom. They were about thirty minutes away from the estate. All they had to do was drive up the mountain. Mostly throughout the car ride Leona had been silent. Gilbert thought it was possibly due to nerves.  
“You’ve been awfully quiet the whole ride here, Ms. Leona. Are you feeling a tad anxious?”  
“Haha. Ya a little.” Leona had to admit that. They were so far up the mountain and the nearest town was about an hour away. Leona really was far away from civilization. She checked her cell phone, her signal was getting weaker and weaker the further they went. This was making her feel more anxious, so she decided to talk to Gilbert more, since he is the only friend from Libra left to talk to in these last few minutes she’ll have left.  
“Do you think these people are really as bad as all that? Even though I’ve done my research on them these past few days, they still feel like a total mystery to me. I read somewhere the main family mostly left their businesses to chosen executives and are pretty much living like hermits, but luxurious hermits inside that mansion. The more mysterious these people seem to be the more frightened I feel about this mission.”  
Gilbert understood what she was going through. When young Master Klaus did his first solo mission he got the bad case of the collywobbles too.  
“I’m afraid I don't know much about these people as much as you do. I have only heard of them through the findings of the Von Reinherz family. I know not much of what I say will make your mind feel more at ease, but care to lend an ear to the wise words of an old man?”  
“You know I always do Gilbert.” Leona smiled.  
The butler cleared his throat, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”  
“I know that quote, Nelson Mandela said that.”  
“Exactly, You see right now the fear you are feeling is of the unknown. You only know of these people through rumors and small research. However, even though you are afraid, you are willing to go into the lion’s den, not out of foolishness, but out of compassion. One who is willing to face their fears for those who have been wronged deserve to be celebrated when they return home from the fight.”  
“That’s a very comforting thought Gilbert. I remember what Klaus told me when he first found out I was a blood breed.”  
‘If one is willing to take just one step towards the light, Your spirit can never be broken!’  
“He is right of course. And I hope you will carry that with you, whenever you are in the darkest of hours.”  
“I will Gilbert, Thank you.”  
Before long, they were already at the gates of the mansion. “Well, here we are, Ms. Leona. Would you like me to get your suitcase for you.  
Leona peaked out the window. She didn’t know why but she felt someone, or something watching the car.  
“No it’s okay. I can get it myself.” She stepped out of the car to get her bags from the trunk, and then stepped up to the driver’s window to say goodbye.  
“I’ll see you in a few weeks, Gilbert. Please try to make sure Klaus doesn’t get an ulcer while I’m gone okay?”  
“Hohoho, I’ll certainly try, Ms. Leona. Well then, godspeed, and take care.”  
“You too, Gilbert.”  
And then he was gone. She watched the car until it sped out of sight.  
Welp, this is it. All she had was her backpack with her wallet, cell phone, Contact lens cams, (she decided to go with the glasses that day) her resume, her suitcase with clothes and underwear, her guitar case with the instrument tucked away and the clothes on her back. It really was a long way back to Hellsalem’s Lot. She decided to worry about traveling back if she flops the interview later. She turned around to face the gates. The mansion behind it really did look big and daunting.  
“Well, there’s no turning back now. * _gulp_ * Into the unknown…”

Taking a deep breath, she stepped slowly towards the front gate. She tried to open it manually but it was locked tight.  
“Huh, that’s weird. There doesn’t seem to be an intercom that I can use to let them know I’m here.”  
Leona was in a bit of a pickle. The gate is locked and she can’t really contact them either since the reception is so bad and there was no intercom device to be found.  
“I know these people are eccentric but this is ridiculous!”  
At first Leona tried to yell for help, to see if she can get anyone’s attention.  
“Hello!!!?? Is anybody here!!!!?? I’m here for the job interview!!!! Anyone!!!?”  
But that didn’t work, no one was coming to get her.  
She looked at the gate again. It was pretty high but…  
“Welp, looks like there’s only one thing left to do. They’ll probably think I’m a thief for doing this, but I’m sure if I told them who I am everything should be fine.”  
Thanks to her training with Jack at Eden she has been able to use more of her strength not only, that because she is a beast type blood breed she is able to land on her feet. It may not be the boxing cage back at the gym but the gate looked pretty easy to climb.  
She strapped her backpack on tightly, and decided to leave her suitcase there at the gate. Since this was the middle of nowhere and she was on private property, she doubt no one would take it. She wasn’t exactly in Hellsalem’s Lot anymore.  
She strapped her backpack tightly and began climbing. Even though she was dressed appropriately for the interview, she still needed to wear something athletic if anything required any physical activity.  
The climb on top the gate was complete child’s play to Leona. Her training with Jack and sparring dates with Klaus really improved her upper body strength by about forty percent in the past year!  
“Ha! This is a total breeze!” Now all that’s left to do is to climb down, Easy! However, as usual fate had other plans.  
“BARK! BARK!! GRRRRRRR!!!!!” A big black dog came from the dog house in the gardens. He looked like a great dane, but he was a mean and nasty one too.  
“AHHHHH!!” Leona began to panic, of course they would keep a guard dog around the estate! Even though they are up here in the mountains they still wouldn’t take any chances.  
Leona tried to calm him down. “Nice puppy, good puppy...I’m not a thief or anything!”  
However, that big bully of a dog wasn’t buying it. Leona thought about using her eyes to confuse it, but the owner would probably think that she hurted him. Without any other options she climbed back to the opposite end of the gate. The dog and Leona were just having a staring contest now.  
“Hmph, Aren’t you just a charmer.” Leona was at a dead end, there was no way to get to the house. And this was supposed to be the easy part! What was she going to do? she couldn’t just quit and go back home.  
“Cerberus!” Suddenly a young woman appeared with short blond hair appeared.  
“Cerberus, House!” The dog backed off and then went back to his doghouse in the gardens.  
The girl the turned to look at Leona. “Well, well.” She had a very accusatory gaze in her eyes.  
“Didn’t you just try to hop the gate just now? What are you a thief?”  
Leona needed to clear this shit up fast! “No, no, no, no! I’m not a thief, I’m just here for-”  
The elegant looking girl cut her off. “Anyone who says they’re not a thief mostly obviously is. Honestly, I should just let you be Cerberus’s midday snack just for being here!”  
Cerberus was definitely a fitting name for a mean dog like him, however, this was getting out of hand! “No, no! Really I’m not! My name is Leona Watch! I’m from Hellsalem’s Lot, I have an interview scheduled today with the head of the house!”  
The blonde’s eyes opened wide. “Hellsalem’s Lot? Leona Watch? Hmmmm...I think I did hear mother saying that a girl from the city is coming over today. Hang on, let me check.”  
The girl then pressed a button on her bracelet, or was it a wristwatch? Leona didn’t really know.  
“Yeah, it’s me. We have someone at the front of the gate here her name is Leona Watch, apparently she has an interview for the servant position?”  
“Yep! The mistress is expecting her. Please send her in!” The woman on the other end sounded like the one who answered the phone when Leona called the estate.  
“Looks you’re in the clear, Stand back a bit, I’m gonna open the gate.”  
The gate began open up for Leona, and she proceeded to enter the estate grounds. She decided to introduce herself properly this time.  
“My, name is Leona Watch, I’ll be working here starting today. It a pleasure to meet you!”  
A smile is always the best way to make a good first impression. Despite still being frazzled by the dog she still wanted to maintain her cool.  
The blonde girl on the other hand seemed rather indifferent to her polite greeting.  
“Mhmm. You didn’t even pass the interview yet, so don’t press your luck.”  
“Right.”  
This girl wasn’t exactly the friendly sort. Looking at her up close without the hindrance of the gate, she looked pretty cute. Her hair was a french bob style with a red headband. Her dress was kind of a gothic lolita style but it was a bit more provocative than the ones she’d seen on the internet. The cafe also had gothic lolita uniforms but they were mostly of a conservative style. Leona could see a little bit of skin through the mesh part of the dress along with a bit of glimpse of her bra. It might as well have been a decoration because there was no way that thing was used to support her bosom. Leona noticed she had a very lovely figure. Considering, she was a member of this household there was no doubt she was well fed here. She did have a slight attitude but she was still a pretty cute girl who moved with the grace and elegance of a noble woman.  
“It’s kind of weird really. Normally Cerberus is pretty chill when he’s around female humans.”  
That is pretty weird. Was it because he sensed that she wasn’t exactly huma anymore? If that was the case then there’s going to be a slight problem if they had to interact with each other on a daily basis. Leona decided to come up with an excuse.  
“Well, I’m not really a dog person, I really do love cats, I think dog can sense that, and they would either run away from me or just snarl. Even though I am a female huma, he can probably sense I don’t really like dogs.”  
“Hmmmmm…” Oh god there’s the accusing glare again.  
“Oh well, not like I care anyway. Come on I’ll lead you to the house.”  
“Thank You.” Leona and her guide walked through the garden and up towards the mansion. Leona couldn’t help but be amazed by her new surroundings. The garden was so beautiful that even Klaus would be proud of! The mansion was very huge as well. There must be about over fifty rooms in there! Leona couldn’t help but compliment it.  
“This truly is a very beautiful place you have here.”  
The girl wasn’t really impressed. “It’s alright I guess. It’s mostly just a big gloomy house to me.” It was probably because she was so used to it that her opinion sounded so blase. To a “peasant” such as Leona, she couldn’t help but be in awe of everything she’s seen. Even when she was in Klaus’ apartment for the first time she was awestruck by how big and luxurious it was. Even though Klaus was a man with simple needs, she was still amazed at the rustic elegance his home had. Not only that she couldn’t contain her childlike wonder when he took her to that fancy hotel that one Valentine’s day. She really did feel like a heroine in one of those cliche shoujo mangas!  
“Even so, not everyone can afford a beautiful place like this. The garden is especially gorgeous! You know, my boyfriend is a huge plant enthusiast and he-”  
“Did anyone ever tell you, you talk too much?” The blonde rudely cut her off.  
“Honestly, I’m beginning to wonder if your even worth working for a Noble family like us! First you try to break in like some common street urchin, and you get all gushy over the estate. In case you didn’t know, no one likes a kissass! If you do a shitty job around here, we won’t hesitate to throw you out on the spot. Or better yet I’ll feed you to Cerberus. Another thing, what was that word you used just a few minutes ago...hummus?”  
Leona was still flabbergasted by her little rant that she almost forgot what she asked.  
“Oh Huma? That’s the term people in Hellsalem’s Lot use for humans. I’ve lived there for a while now that i’ve been using that word myself.”  
“Well, you’re not in Hellsalem’s Lot anymore, now are you? From now on you’ll be expected to use normal terms when your around us! Got it?”  
Okay, forget about this girl having a “slight” attitude problem. This chick was a total bitch!  
And not only that, she never even introduced herself to Leona! Despite being raised in a noble family she’s clearly lacking in manners when it comes to introductions as well as behavior. Klaus was different. Even though he was raised in a noble household like this one, he always treated others’ with kindness and respect. He would never be so nasty as to boast about his status and wealth. It was clear as a bell that his family, as well as his household staff had raised him well. It was strange that two people with similar upbringings could be so different from one another.  
If Leona had to take orders from this prissy princess then this is going to be a long, long, LONG, mission.  
“Well, here we are. I really don’t care whether you pass the interview or not, but good luck anyway.”  
“Uhh...thank you?” After the harsh commentary this girl gave her, Leona could only muster a half-hearted reply.  
Leona opened the door and was greeted with the main hall of the Mamiya estate. It was like she was on a movie set! Their were two sets of stairs that led to top half of the mansion and an archway that led to the rooms on the bottom half.  
“Impressive, isn’t it?” A blue haired woman who looked to be about in her mid to late twenties appeared out from one of the rooms. She approached her pretty quickly to greet her.  
Her voice was familiar, she sounded like the woman the blonde girl called.  
“Yes it is, umm are you the one who answered the phone when I called a few days ago?”  
The girl gave Leona a cheeky smile. “Yep that’s me! My name is Sachie Asagiri, I’m one of the maids on staff here.” She seemed really friendly, and Leona wouldn’t mind being co workers with her if she got the job.  
However, what really stood out was the uniform she was wearing. She was aware that on the ad it said uniforms would be provided, but she didn’t know that the uniform looked...so....cringeworthy. It was a very revealing blue and white maid’s uniform, complete with frilly apron, headband and gloves. It looked like the stereotypical maid’s uniform. However, the skirt length was two sizes too short you could see parts of the bra because of how low the neckline goes, and just overall it just shows way too much skin than what Leona was comfortable with!  
‘Do I really have to wear that thing once I pass the interview?’ Leona thought about that dress with such dread that she sighed. ‘Note to self, put on the eyewear cams AFTER putting on the uniform and avoid ALL mirrors at all costs!’  
“You feeling okay, sweetie” Sachie asked.  
Leona got herself out of that daze. “Oh it’s nothing I was just thinking, how...charming that uniform looked on you.”  
The maid gave Leona a smirk, “Liar, I know what your thinking, ‘cringe city’ right? Trust me I know, I felt the same when I first started here. But you get used to them eventually.”  
“I see, are you working the two weeks here too?” Leona asked.  
“Actually, I’ve been here a bit longer than that! But I plan on leaving here once my term here is up. Mostly I just stayed because of the pay. It really is that good here!”  
“Wow! Eighty grand seems like a lot for just a servant position.”  
“Yeah, eighty-thousand is pretty much just chump change to the family. Mostly, The mistress gives that money to her kids for allowance.”  
‘EIGHTY-THOUSAND FOR ALLOWANCE MONEY!!!!!!’ Leona internally screamed, That was by no means “chump change”! When she and Michael were kids their mom would only give them five dollars a week for doing the house chores!  
“I know it always boggle everyone’s mind when they first hear about the pay. However, once the people, figure out that they’ve bitten off more than they can chew once they’ve gotten the job they all leave. Are you sure you’re up to the task?”  
“Of course! I’m no stranger to hard work. I’m sure I can take whatever they throw at me.”  
Sachie had a look of concern on her face. “Hmmm, I guess we’ll see about that won’t we.”  
Her ominous words were making Leona nervous, she was about to ask why she was skeptical when she heard another person enter the room.  
“Sachie, is that guest?” There was a young woman just about Leona’s age who was coming down the stairs. She moved with the grace of a queen! She had long-straight dark hair worn with a ribbon in the back. She was wearing a similar provocative gothic outfit just like the blonde girl’s but this one was a little less frilly. She had corpulent breasts that swayed from side to side as she walked down the stairs. Her pheromones were so strong that they could put anyone in a trance. Even though her breasts passed the handfull line that Zapp was comfortable with, he would still fall for her.  
“Hello, are you here on a visit.”  
“She's not. This is Leona Watch, she’s here to interview for the maid position today.”  
The elegant girl smiled so sweetly, it made Leona’s insides turn to butter.  
“Leona this is Lady Marika Mamiya, the eldest daughter of the Mamiya family.”  
“Eldest daughter? So I’m guessing the Blonde haired girl is the second eldest, is that right.”  
“Yep that was Lady Marisa Mamiya.” Sachie, was kind of enough to point out the bratty girl’s name. It’s hard to believe those two are sisters!  
“Wow, Lady Marisa is completely different from you, Miss. Let’s just say she’s not exactly a happy camper. Uuh! Not to offend your sister or anything!”  
Lady Marika, let out a sweet laugh. “Hahaha! Yes she can have a bit of a rotten personality, but don’t let whatever she says offend you. I know she can be difficult but do try to patient with her.”  
‘Wow. She’s really, really nice! Can she really be a part of some grand scheme to kidnap beyondians?’  
“Well, you certainly look like a hardworking woman. And your pretty cute too. I think I’ll help convince mother to let you work here!”  
Leona blushed. “Uuhh….Gee thanks!”  
She then walked off leaving Leona alone with Sachie again.  
“Marika seemed pretty nice, and gosh! She really is beautiful! Just what I would expect from a noble woman like her. I wish her sister would take after her a bit more.”  
Sachie sighed. “Yeah, they all turn out like her. Apparently, everyone born into the Mamiya family is blessed with good looks, but some of them also have really twisted personalities, like Lady Marisa. Also I wouldn’t judge based on looks alone if I were you.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Don’t worry you’ll find out soon enough.”  
Sachie’s words weighed heavily on Leona’s mind. She really hoped that Sachie was wrong but she was here on a mission after all. Lady Marika’s words flowed like the sweetest honey, but underneath those sickly sweet words could be the deadliest poison. She couldn’t let these people trick her like that. The Mamiyas are somehow involved with the disappearances and she intended to prove it!  
Sachie lead Leona down the corridor straight to the Mistress’ office.  
“So, Leona what brought you here in the first place? Surely it wasn’t just the money.”  
Sachie is already proving herself to be the nosey type, she could be dangerous if she figures out why she’s really here. Fortunately, Libra gave her a cover she can use since they knew they were probably going to ask anyway.  
“Actually yes, I currently a university student studying photography. I’m on a scholarship but that can only cover so much. I figured the money can help cover the rest. You know how crazy expensive college tuition is these days?”  
“Hmmmmm. Ya I see your point, most college students like you come here because of the great pay. However, I have another important question for you...Have you...had any experience with men before?”  
The question kind of blew Leona off guard. It was such a personal question. Why did she need to know that?  
“Uhh, not that it’s any of your business, but why do you want to know? How does this relate to the job I’m trying to get?”  
“Trust me honey, it’ll be plenty important went you get to the interview. So what is it, yes or no?”  
Leona couldn’t lie about this. “Ya...I have.”  
She can sense the maid smirking at her from the front. “Really? How many times?”  
Leona blushed like a tomato. “That’s getting too personal! No way i’m telling someone I just met about my intimate life!”  
“You might as well tell me before we go in, so tell me the number already!”  
Leona sighed as she kept her head down to hide her embarrassment. “...three times.”  
Sachie began to talk to herself. “Hmmm, that’s not too bad. Maybe this girl has guts after all. But she’s still so young...What they might do to her will probably be different than what she’s used to.”  
“What are you talking about?” Leona was getting annoyed with all this mystery.  
“You’ll know soon enough.”  
Leona was getting really nervous, now. Because of the bizarre questions she honestly had no idea what this one interview had in store for her! However, she remembered the quote Gilbert recited.  
Leona took in a deep breath. “Courage, Leona...Courage”  
Sachie knocked on the door to the office. “Who is it?” Said the person on the other end of the door.  
“I’ve brought Leona Watch to meet with you Madame.”  
“Ah, we've been expecting her, send her in.” Sahie opened the door to the office.  
It was a very elegant parlour, with Persian rugs, plush furniture, a wooden desk, an antique clock, other assorted knick-knacks and a fantastic view of the mountains.  
“Welcome, Leona Watch! I have been expecting you! My name is Marie Mamiya, the current matriarch of this household” The Lady of the house greeted her with a friendly smile and a handshake.  
Leona now knew where the daughter’s good looks came from!  
Madame Marie Mamiya, is a tall woman with elegant features. Her silky magenta colored hair was tied back with a chinese styled accessory. However, her dress exceeded the provocativeness of her daughters’. She was wearing a mauve dress, (if you could call it that) It was beyond skimpy that it might have been mistaken for lingerie. The skirt length was even shorter than the maid uniform.” In fact, it was so short she could see a little bit of her panties.  
‘Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down!’  
She had silky skin the color of rich cream. And her eyes...they were the color yellow ember. The same colored eyes that Klaus had feared from his adolescence. No doubts about it, this was the bonafide Marie Mamiya.  
Leona snapped out of her trance and introduced herself.  
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Mamiya! I’ve heard so much about you.”  
Marie smiled, “Ooh, good things I hope?”  
‘No.’  
“Nothing but! Your reputation truly proceeds you Ma’am.” Even though Marisa says no one like a kiss-ass she really wanted to pass this interview so she can move ahead with her mission.  
“Well I do try, now then you are wanting the maid position correct? Shall we move on with the interview, then?”  
“Yes Madam, I will would like that very much.”  
“Marie clapped her hands together. “Well, let’s not stand on ceremony here! Please sit down. I’ll be having some tea brought up shortly. Sachie, Mikako will be bring us the refreshments, so you are excused for now. But could you tell my daughters to come to the reception room please?”  
Leona took a seat on the couch while Marie sat in her sat in her office chair with her one thigh over the other across from her.  
“I trust you have brought your resume?” Marie asked.  
“Yep, I have it right here.” Leona gave the Madame the folder which contained her resume.  
“I understand that you came all the way from Hellsalem’s Lot. This is correct yes?”  
“Yes ma’am, I’ve lived there for quite some time now.”  
The Lady continues, “I know it must have been very inconvenient for you to come out all this way here, right in the boondocks. Most people are turned off by that fact and some quit because of how bothersome having to work in the countryside is. You do know that if wish to work here, you’re going to have to live here in the mansion for your two week period, yes?”  
“I am well aware, And honestly, I don’t really mind. Sometimes, I can get pretty tired staring at the fog that I miss the open skies when I’m out in the country.”  
“Yes, well that’s really good too hear. And I’m actually rather glad you are from Hellsalem’s Lot, because if you do get the job here there are some, shall we say, “delicate” jobs that do need to be done. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, it says that you are currently a college student studying photography?”  
Leona straightened herself up with pride. She loves talking about her love of photography.  
“Indeed, I am! I’m aiming to become a photojournalist in the future.”  
“That is quite a fascinating career choice! However, I must ask that you refrain from taking pictures inside the mansion. We are a rather reclusive family, and I would not appreciate you showing what’s inside this house to your friends. Is that understood?”  
Leona wondered If she could take them outside the manor?  
“Yes, I understand. However, is it okay if I take some pictures of the garden outside? I have a boyfriend who’s a real plant enthusiast and he’s really would love to see the array of flowers and plants outside the house?”  
The Mistress’ eyes widened at her, mentioning a boyfriend.  
“Boyfriend, you say? Well, if it’s just for him then I don’t see why not. But only of the gardens and the mountains please.”  
“Of course.” Leona agreed.  
“Let’s continue, have you done any maid work prior to you coming here?”  
“Well, sort of. I did work at this popular maid/cosplay cafe in Hellsalem’s Lot before coming here. I know it’s not really the same thing as a real maid position but it is somewhat similar.”  
“That’s perfectly fine. You are right though, while it isn’t like the work that Sachie or Mikako does it’s good to know that you at least know the basics. This is very promising Leona!”  
Leona was excited as well as scared. I will be great if she can pass this interview quickly that way she can get straight to work on her assignment.  
“Now then do you play any kind of sport, or any other physical activity.”  
“Yes, I’ve been taking up kick-boxing.”  
“Excellent! We’ve been short handed on men lately but if you are as physically fit to take up kick-boxing, you might be able handle more of some of the men’s work here.”  
“Please, it’ll be a piece of cake!” Leona had gotten pretty strong thanks to Jack’s intensive training, so she can take some of the more manual labor around here.”  
“Well, aren’t we confident? Anyway, do have any other hobbies, I know you have your photography, but do you cook, or play an instrument.”  
“I can cook a little, I’m good with Lasagna, cheesecake, and I make a pretty mean apple pie!”  
“Ooooh, I will definitely ask you to make one for us sometime!”  
“As for the instrument, I can play a little bit of the guitar and ukulele. I can sing a little bit too, but I can’t really say I’m a genius at those things, they’re mostly just as a form of therapy for me.”  
“I must say, Leona Watch. You truly are a Jane of all trades! it really is perfect timing that you are here. You see, we just had to let one of our servants go and we really are short on hands. Before my husband passed away, this manson was practically filled with servants. But times have changed, now we can only have the bare minimum of staff. However, because of how big this house is it can be a bit bothersome to make sure it is in perfect order. But considering you have a pretty solid resume, and you are from Hellsalem’s Lot this makes you the perfect candidate! I see no other reason why we shouldn’t hire you.”  
Leona couldn’t believe it! “You mean, i've got the job?!”  
“Hahaha! Now, now, don’t get ahead of ourselves. You’ve passed the oral interview. But now there is just a little physical exam you need to take to make sure you are perfectly qualified.  
*sigh*, I knew this was too good to be true.  
After the Mistress said that there was a knocking at the door.  
“Madame, I’ve brought the tea.”  
“You may enter.”  
In came a woman with long violet hair that came down to her lower back.  
“Mikako this is Leona Watch. She is a potential candidate for the maid position so she might be your junior if she gets the job.”  
The maid looked older than sachie, she was probably about the Mistress’ age around her mid-forties. She wore the same uniform that sachie was wearing! The poor woman looked pretty embarrassed to be wearing that thing. Honestly, it was more revealing on her than it was on Sachie considering her humongous breasts gave the Mistress’ a run for their money! But even so she is very pretty.  
“My name is Mikako Nonohara, It is a pleasure to meet you Leona.”  
She’s really nice too.  
“If you get the job Leona it’s possible I will have you work sometimes with Mikako to help with food preparations. Mikako could you stay for a little bit please?”  
Mikako looked kind of nervous. “Yes, Ma’am.”  
“Please, have a sip. Mikako makes the best tea.”  
Leona takes a few sips and it actually kind of help to calm her nerves a bit. All of a sudden there is another knock on the door.  
“Mother? You wanted to see us?”  
“You can come in.”  
The two daughters came in. One looked pleased to see Leona again while the other looked annoyed.  
“Ugh, what do you want? Is this important.” Said Marisa impatiently.  
“Girls this is-” the Mistress was cut off by her youngest daughter.  
“I know who she is, She’s uuuhhh, something or other Watch right?”  
“Oh you two have already met?” Asked the mistress?  
“Ya, she saved me from that dog when I was trying to get onto the estate grounds.”  
Marie looked surprised but then displeased. “Marisa, I thought I told you to chain him before Leona arrived.”  
Marisa was speechless, for once. But that didn’t stop her from making up some kind of lame excuse.  
“B-b-but, I was going to! But Leona came before I could even chain up Cerberus! If anything it’s her fault from preventing me from doing my task!”  
‘Dude, it’s your mangy dog! It’s your job to take care of it. You stupid brat!’ thought Leona.  
The Mistress sighed, clearly disappointed with her child’s behavior.  
“Trying to put the blame on someone else for your actions again, are we? What am I to do with you? I’m sorry you had to go through that. After my husband died no one was left to raise the children and I’m afraid they’ve grown to be quite spoiled.”  
‘Well that explains a lot!’  
“Marika, did you meet Leona yet?” Marie then asked her eldest daughter.  
“Yes, and I think we should hire her! She looks to be very sweet and hardworking.”  The Lady let out a laugh, "hahaha!  My aren't you enthusiastic to have her here?  Well, you aren't the only one who has taking a liking to her.  I see now that you are well acquainted with my daughters Leona!  I also have a son who is just a year younger than Marisa.  I'm sure you will meet him later."  It was then that Marisa began to voice her complaints.  “Ugh you two really have no taste for quality servants.  I mean just look at her! I for one am not convinced! For all we know she could just as useless and lazy as Sachie!  I bet she's so lazy she can't even brush that rat's nest she calls hair! Plus she’s a girl! Why can’t we hire hot guys for once!”  
Her whiny voice was really grating on Leona’s patience.  'I think this one is going to be another problem for me.  Even though Sachie has proven to be the nosey type, Marisa is beyond intrusive!  She may have noticed something was off when her dog was growling at me even though she said that he is mostly fine around girls.  I'm gonna have to keep a close eye on this one.  
Leona was then snapped out of her thoughts when the Mistress needed to make an announcement to her.  “Oh that reminds me! Leona you won’t be the only one applying for the job. Tomorrow, i’ll be having to more applicants join us. A boy and girl just about your age and just like you, they are also students. I may hire one of them, maybe both, or none at all. But it might be the second because of how short-handed we are. If I do decide to hire them they will probably be working under you and Sachie. Considering your impressive resume and the fact you are from Hellsalem’s Lot, gives you a perfect chance to be at higher maid status like Sachie and Mikako. But we are getting ahead of ourselves again, we still have the exam to move on to. The first thing we’ll do is ask some simple questions, and then we’ll move on to the physical exam. Does that sound alright to you, my dear”  
Leona was getting a case of the collywobbles again. However, she had come this far and was not going to give up now. She nodded her head, and then took a sip of her tea to help calm her stomach.  
“First question. Have you had any experience with men before?”

Leona nearly spat out her tea. That simple little question had her head in a spin, and that first question was only just the beginning to a two week long nightmare.


	5. Chapter 5

“Huh? I’m sorry...I didn’t quite catch that...What did you ask me, again?” Leona thought she heard the Mistress ask her if she had any experience with men, but she wanted to make sure.  
“Have you had any sexual experiences with men, my dear?”  
‘Crap’  
Leona wasn’t sure how to anwer. No wonder Sachie was pressing her if she’d had experience with men before coming here.  
‘God, I’m such an idiot! After all the research Klaus’ family did as well as the rumors, too! Libra is going to be watching and listening to everything that’s been going on today once I take off these glasses. These questions are so personal, only Klaus and Vivian know about my experiences. This is so humiliating! Even so, I have to do this. Everyone is counting on me!’  
“Answer the question! We don’t have all day here!”  
Marisa snapped Leona out of her inner monologue. There was no getting out of it. She had to answer the questions if she had any hope of getting on with her mission.  
Leona took a deep breath. “Yes, I have.” ‘There, happy?’ Leona thought spitefully.  
All three of them looked rather surprised by her answer.  
“Really? I honestly thought for sure you were a virgin!” Said the Mistress.  
“Same here! She has such an innocent look about her I thought she still had her virginity too!” Marika said.  
Marisa looked kind of peeved. She probably hoped that she was still a virgin so she could make fun of her.  
“For the next question, how old were you when you had your first time?”  
Leona took another swig of her tea. ‘Oh god they’re getting worse, Klaus, Steven and Zed will be watching these tapes! Steven and Zed will know my sexual exploits. What will Klaus think!? No! Klaus was very understanding when I told him of my first two boyfriends. He is someone who respects my privacy and he told me all of that is in the past, and all that matters now is our future together. Come on Leona! Chin up!’  
“I think I was about...eighteen at the time.”  
Marisa started laughing. “Hahahaha! Eighteen!? Please, I lost mine when I turned sixteen! Jealous?”  
To be honest, she wasn’t. It just didn’t seem like a big deal to Leona if someone younger than her had sex at a younger age than she did.  
“Uum, good for you, I guess? But honestly, I’m not jealous. I just don’t really care.”  
Marisa’s shoulders started shaking. She briskly walked to Leona and slapped her cheek!  
“Ow! Dude! What was that for!” She really did slap Leona hard.  
“WHAT KIND OF REACTION IS THAT!!!??? AND DON’T JUST CALL ME A DUDE!!! I AM A NOBLE LADY OF THIS HOUSEHOLD!!! AND YOU SHOULD REMEMBER YOUR PLACE!!!!” God this bitch’s loud voice was insufferable!  
Marika just sighed. “Honestly, Marisa that’s so uncouth. Your going to frighten the poor thing.”  
“I have to agree. Please try to control your temper dear. Forgive her Leona, she does have a bit of a competitive personality.”  
“I think it’s quite admirable that you waited until you felt you were ready. I think it’s wonderful, you waited to do it with the one you love!”  
Marika couldn’t have been more wrong. “Well, That’s not entirely true…”  
Marie looked rather shocked Leona said that. “You mentioned a boyfriend. Wasn’t he your first?”  
‘God damn it! Can’t I just leave the past behind me already!’ But it would seem these people were hungry for Leona’s sexual history and were not going to stop until they were satisfied.  
“My current boyfriend...wasn’t my first. Actually, I had two boyfriends before him.”  
“Two!?” All three shouted at once.  
“Two sexual partners before your current boyfriend. I had no idea you would be this experienced!” Said Marie.  
Marisa saw to it to make fun of Leona again. “Hahahaha! Were you that desperate to lose your virginity that you needed to boyfriends!? Wow! Your boyfriend must be so proud!”  
Leona wished that she was wrong. Unfortunately, she was not far from the truth.  
“You know, you’re actually right. I only did it on some stupid teenage whim because most of the people my age had lost their virginity. Not only that I was having some issues with my father at the time and I wanted to do it simply to spite him. But once I got together with the man I truly love, I regretted losing my virginity to my first boyfriend. He really wasn’t worth it. To be honest, I wish I could go back in time to stop myself from doing the deed. I keep telling myself if I had just waited it would have made our love more special. But even so, he told me that the past is the past and all that matters now is our bright future together.” Leona stopped with a sad smile. Klaus’ love truly is the best she’d ever known.  
Marika had tears in her eyes. “Oooooohhh!!! That’s so romantic! I wish I had a love like that!”  
The mistress was also impressed. “That truly is a wonderful mentality.”  
And of course because she was outnumbered by Marika and the Mistress, she had to come up with something to make Leona look bad.  
“Hmph! I bet those first two broke up with her, because she just couldn’t satisfy them anymore. I bet the same thing will happen to her so called ‘true love’ the moment he gets tired of her!”  
‘Ha! You are so gonna love this little, Ms. Priss’ Leona smirked.  
“Actually it was the other way around. I broke up with them.”  
“egh..uuh….No way! You’re lying!” Marisa stuttered.  
“No it’s true. The thing is we never really had anything in common. And my first time with him, there weren't exactly fireworks going off in my brain. He really had no idea how to pleasure a woman. After we broke up he hooked his friend up with me because he told him that I’m a good kisser and sexual partner. And let’s just say, the second time was just as dull. To be honest, it was kind of like I was on one of those kiddie rides you find at the supermarket. I may have well had said ‘wheeeee!’ while we were doing it!”  
Marika started laughing. “Well, that’s one way of putting it!”  
Maire smiled but she let out a disappointing sigh. “There is nothing I can’t stand more than a man who has absolutely no idea how pleasure a woman properly. While yes, it the woman’s duty to carry the men’s offspring, but giving themselves a pat on the back while leaving a woman completely unsatisfied!? Ugh, I’m surprised you didn’t break up with them right after you did the deed. Well, you sound perfectly happy with your current relationship now! How about we focus on that, hmm?”  
‘Oh boy.’  
The questions just kept getting more and more embarrassing! The questions were all about her and Klaus’ intimate life! Such as, when was their first time? Where did they have sex? Was Klaus still a virgin or not when they had sex for the first time? How often do they do it? Do they roleplay? Does Leona ever masturbate and how often does she do that? What does she masturbate to?  
The questions just kept coming and in Leona kept giving them a feast of answers meant for a king!  
‘Forgive me, Klaus.’ Leona felt so ashamed. She once thought that her and Klaus’ love life felt so sacred to her, but now it feels like that safety and comfort was torn away by these people. She was still wondering what klaus would think when he saw this on the mp4! But that will have to wait until after she’s completed her mission. Finally, the questions were over!  
“Well this is really starting to become promising Ms. Watch! We might just have to place you one step above Sachie and Mikako!”  
Speaking of Mikako, Leona had forgotten that she was standing there in the corner to await her orders.  
‘Huh, she kind of reminds me of gilbert. Except she’s a woman with breasts bigger than my head, and is not covered in bandages. Oh god, she’s also been listening to the many adventures of Leona’s sex life, the mini series!’ Leona turned red at the thought.  
Leona decided to finish up what was left of her tea. Marie was right! Mikako really did know how to make good tea! However, there was something a bit strange about it. While it was delicious it had a unique flavor, mint maybe? Not only that, it made her feel pretty relaxed enough to answer the questions. Marie began to continue.  
“Well then, now that the questions are done and we have learned a lot about you, I say it’s time to move on to the physical exam!”  
Leona felt her heart stop in her chest. “Ph-ph-physical exam?”  
“Yes! As I told you before, There is a lot of hard work that needs to be done around here and we need young people with healthy bodies in order to get that work done. This is merely a formality to make sure you are strong enough to be up to the task. There is nothing to be worried about.”  
Leona begged to differ! But she already embarrassed herself enough with those stupid questions that it didn’t really make a difference to her.  
“Fine. What do I have to do.” Leona said begrudgingly.  
“Excellent! First off, can you take off your clothes please?”  
“Huh?” Leona could only muster that one sound. She knew things were only going to get worse, but getting naked in front of strangers was one step over the line!  
“What! Why!?”  
“It’s not that strange is it? As I’ve said we need to make sure you have a healthy body to work here. And besides we’re all girls here, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”  
Marie tried to used honeyed words to make Leona feel more at ease but it did nothing for her nerves! If anything this will only give Marisa an opportunity to make fun of her more!  
“She’s probably a total pig under those clothes! I wouldn’t be surprised if those thunder thighs of hers were ninety percent cellulite!”  
Leona was getting pretty tired of her insults. “Okay! Fine! I’ll do it! Just stop making fun of me!”  
Leona took off her shoes first, then her black leggings.  
‘Oh god...I know she said we’re all girls here but it feels like I’m at the bidding of the queen bee and her gaggle of groupies and I’m only doing these things just to get her approval!’  
Leona then unclasped her skirt then removed her cardigan sweater. All that’s left was the button down blouse. Leona was shaking pretty badly. This was getting really scary, Leona wished she had more tea so she can calm the butterflies in her stomach. She began to fumble with one of the buttons.  
As usual, the youngest daughter was getting impatient. “Oh for the love of-I’ll do it myself!”  
“What? No! No!” Leona tried to fight her off but because she was still shaking she couldn’t do it. Marisa ripped open her blouse. Most of the buttons went flying off. She was now in her undies completely exposed to their judgmental eyes.  
Marika was rather impressed. “Wow! her arms and legs are pretty muscular. Not really bodybuilder muscular, but still impressive! You must be pretty strong for your size huh?”  
Marie was also liking what she saw. “You did mention you do a lot of kickboxing in your workout routine yes, It must have really helped with your upper body strength.”  
While Leona was somewhat flattered by Marie and Marika’s compliments, she still felt ashamed for being exposed like this.  
Marika went up to touch her arms. Her hands felt like ice, Leona didn’t like it one bit.  
“Her muscles, are so slender, and tight! And her skin is so smooth it may as well be made out of silk! She does have a few freckles here and there but that only makes her cuter!”  
Marisa still managed to find some flaws.  
“Hmph, okay so she only has a little cellulite. But I was right about the thunder thighs, and she also has a little tummy!”  
Leona had forgotten that she and Klaus had ordered pizza last night! And because she was so nervous for the start of her mission she had four slices along with calamari and caesar salad! The bloat probably didn’t have enough time to go away overnight.  
Even though she is a blood breed and they do have pretty high metabolisms. They can still feel bloated if they eat too much human food. While they don’t get the nutrients and vitamins from human food like they do from blood, and it doesn’t really have any effect on their weight and overall health, their digestive system is not completely dead. They still need to expel the waste from their bodies when they do ingest food just like humans, and can still get indigestion if they take in too much greasy or unhealthy foods. Blood breeds don’t really get sick but they can get a very temporary case of indigestion if this ever was the case depending on how much they overeat. Usually the bloating goes away after a night or two. Junk food is still junk food, even for blood breeds!  
The mistress continued to observe. “It’s true, but while she is a bit soft around the middle she still has pretty slender waist and this just means she’s eating well. And the strength in her arms and legs makes up for that fact. However, your underwear is obstructing some other important areas. Remove them please.”  
Okay, now that’s going to far! “You’ve got to be kidding me, no! There is no way in hell getting completely buck naked is a requirement for a physical exam!”  
“Ha! I knew you weren’t suited to have the honor of working with a noble family like us! You should grab your things and leave right now!”  
For a moment, Leona was thinking of doing just that. Was this even worth the humiliation that she was going through? But then all of the pieces of the puzzle began to fit in her brain.  
‘Now I get it...No wonder the pay is so good. Of course they wouldn’t just pay eighty grand for just a normal servant position.’  
This job was beyond normal, and that is what made these people, and this place even more sinister than what they have led on. And if the missing persons had to go through what Leona is doing right now, then they have to be around here somewhere. Not only that, because she is from a city that is linked to the alterworld the Mistress wanted her to do a “delicate” job for her. Leona was in the right place and the Mamiya’s just ranked to number one on her suspect list. As much as Leona wanted to leave, so many people counted on her and the victims lives are on the line here! She really didn’t have much of a choice…  
“Okay, okay. I’ll do it.” Leona put her hand around her back to unclasp her bra hooks and then slipped her arms out of the straps. She then quickly took her panties off and discarded them to the side. She knew they would scold her if she used her hands to hide her privates so she didn’t bother. She held her hand at her sides with her fists clenched. She kept her head turned to the side but faced downward to hide her shame.  
“Oooooh, very pretty” Marika said.  
‘Don’t even bother with the compliments! You guys have already embarrassed me enough with your stupid questions and forcing me to get naked! Your poison filled honey words aren’t going to work on me!’  
Leona didn’t even care that Marisa judged her again because, apparently this sadistic little C-word gets off on humiliating others just so she can feel superior about herself. A stereotypical bleach blond prom queen, if anything!  
Marika seemed nice, but clearly not nice enough to stop her mother from making Leona do all these humiliating tasks just for a stupid maid position!  
And the Mistress, She is almost exactly like the succubi that she had read in books. If she was, then maybe it would have been easier to accept the reasons why she was forced to do these things for this family. But Marie wasn’t a succubus. These people are indeed one-hundred percent human! Even though she used transformation to disguise her all-seeing-eyes of the gods, she checked all the people she’d met so far who resided in the mansion to make sure they weren't blood breed or any other creature from the alterworld. But no...They were humans.  
The mistress continued her observations.  
“Hmm D-cups! They are perfectly round in shape, perfectly perky, and her nipples are a pretty lily pink color. Not only that the areolas are at a perfect small size!”  
Marika joined in. “They actually look bigger than yours, Marisa.”  
The sister turned bright red and shaked in her rage. “Shut up! My breasts are are at a perfect size! Why would want to have large lumps of fat on my chest anyway?! They will only just get saggy with age!”  
‘Looks like the jokes on you, Ms. Priss! I don’t age! But there is no way I’m telling anyone that I’m a blood breed! Well, not right now at least.’  
“The upstairs look perfectly in order. Now let's move to the important part shall we.”  
Leona was starting to feel dizzy. “I’m sorry but, can I please sit down?”  
The Mistress didn’t seem to mind. “No problem! It would give us a better view anyway.”  
‘Of course it would, you perverts!’  
Leona sat down on the couch. Leona was feeling cold for being at out of her clothes for so long but being on the soft couch helped a little.  
“Can you spread your legs please?”  
Leona tried to imagine she was just visiting the gynecologist’s office, but it was hard to do so, because her doctor wouldn’t make humiliating comments on her hootenanny!  
The mistress leaned in to take a look.  
“A lovely color. It’s clear you weren’t lying about your sexual past, since your hymen doesn’t appear to be there anymore.”  
Leona felt like she was going to cry. Not counting her exes, Klaus was the only one who was allowed to look down there with her permission. Letting total strangers stare at it and making remarks on it without it being medically related was too much!  
Marie continued with her inspection. “You also appear to be taking care of removing any unwanted hairs around the bikini line area as well as on the lips. The top of the mons pubis however, is another story. You seem to just leave the hair growing. This will not do. If you are to work for us you must keep your pubic area completely hair-free.”  
Leona didn’t mind, but. “I understand but, can I just take care of it later?”  
The Mistress flashed a smile that was not kind. “No. After all, as my mother once told me, ‘don’t put off until tomorrow, what can be done today.’ We could shave it but there’s already so much hair that it would take to long. And we’ve just run out of our best wax, so we’ll just have to use the hair removal tape instead! Since there is only just a small patch of hair it shouldn’t hurt too much right?”  
Marie sounded too excited to have Leona’s pubic hair removed. Leona would have rather done it herself and used transformation on the hair to get rid of it later, but they were instistant they did now!  
“Mikako, could you fetch the tape from that drawer over there please? And could you do the honors for Leona as well.”  
“Yes, Ma’am.” Mikako obediently went to the desk drawer to take out the hair removal tape and moved over to Leona and bent down towards her crotch.  
Leona was panicking inside her head! She never not once did a hair removal treatment in her life! All she did was shave and that was enough for her.  
Mikako noticed noticed that Leona was looking distressed so she said in a calming motherly tone. “I know this might sting a little, but try to to bear with me for a little bit, okay? It’ll all be over soon.”  
Leona didn’t really feel any better but she did appreciate what Mikako was putting in the effort to make her calm.  
The maid put the tape onto the small part of her pubis, making sure every last bit of hair was covered by it.  
“I’m going to count to three, okay? 1...2...3!”  
And just like a bandaid, she yanked the tape right off. All of the hair was gone so they didn’t have to do it again. However, Leona’s pubis was becoming a bit swollen because of the tape and it was really stinging her.  
Leona couldn’t hold them back anymore, soon big tears were coming down her face. Not just because of the pain from the hair removal, but everything that’s happened to her up until she came to the mansion. She felt trapped. She did have a mission to complete, but this was all so much.  
All of a sudden her body felt weak. She felt nauseous, hot and bothered, and just not right. And she was fine just a short while ago. A little too relaxed perhaps but still fine.  
“I...I...don’t feel...so good.” Leona whimpered.  
Marika gave her a sympathetic look. “Poor thing, Marisa, your petty insults must have been too much for her.”  
“Oh boo freaking hoo. Told you she was a wimp.” Marisa retorted.  
The mistress inspected Leona. “You are looking a bit frazzled. It’s strange though. The drugs should have kicked in once you’ve finished your tea. Must be a delayed reaction.”  
“Drugs?...you…drugged my tea?!” Leona really shouldn’t have been surprised but because she was so in shock that she her reaction was warranted. She knew she felt a little strange during the questions but she thought it was just her nerves playing tricks on her.  
“I’m sorry, I know this isn’t very nice. But don’t worry we’ll do everything we can to help you feel better. Marisa since you were the most vocal about Leona’s flaws I think you should be the one to do it!” Said Marie.  
Marisa seemed completely against the idea. “No way! I might get my perfectly manicured hand dirty!”  
Marie sighed. “Well, if you’re not up to the task...Mikako, you did a good job at trying to keep Leona calm during the hair removal. Why don’t you help her.”  
Of course Marisa didn’t want to be upstaged by the maid. “Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to make you feel comforted. You would have the honor of being touched a noble woman like me. So, what’s your choice?”  
By now Leona has had enough of her bullshit and trying to be nice to her just to appeal to her over-inflated ego. “Honestly, You have done absolutely nothing, to make me feel better here. At least Mikako was trying to be helpful. So I’d rather have her help than yours!”  
Marika started to giggle behind her fist. But Marisa was completely engulfed with rage.  
“WHAT WAS THAT!!??” She smacked Leona so hard that the dizziness was getting worse. Fortunately, it wasn’t strong enough to knock her eyewear camera off her face.  
The mistress thought it was best to scold her child. “Now, Marisa you’re going to make her feel worse. You have got to learn some self control.”  
“She’d rather let that old granny touch her instead of someone as great as me?! Ugh! I don’t care anymore! Hire her or whatever! But I am so gonna make her pay for what she said!”  
And in a huff she stormed out of the reception room. Leona certainly wasn’t sad to see her go, but she still felt anxious at her last sentence.  
“The mistress sighed. “Honestly, that girl. I’m sorry about that, she can be so spoiled sometimes and her ego tends to make it worse. Now then, Mikako, could you undress for Leona please?”  
“As you wish, Madame.” Leona was kind of confused. Was it really necessary for her to get naked too?  
She first started taking off her uniform, than the apron, then her undies, until she was stark naked! Her breasts really were huge! Because of their size they did droop a bit but they were still perky. Her nipples were practically the size of dinner plates, but the had a dark pink color.  
“Is this to your liking, ma’am?”  
“Yes, very much so. Now then do your thing.”  
Mikako went over to Leona and gave her a smile that made her heart melt. She then sat on the left side of the couch right next Leona and maneuvered her so that her head was on Mikako’s plump chest and that she was lying down while she was in between her thighs. Just like a mother, she began to caress her hair, and whisper sweet words of comfort in her ear.  
“Don’t worry Leona. I’m going to make you feel all better.”  
This made her heart ache. Even though she was here only for a short time, Mikako’s kindness reminded her so much of Klaus and she began to miss him terribly.  
Mikako began to proceed to massage her breasts slowly. Leona didn’t want to be touched like this, but because she was so worn out she didn’t have the strength to fight back. She tried voicing her opinion on the matter but only a few words came out.  
“No...no...no..I...don’t..want….”  
“Shhhhh it’ll be okay.” Mikako proceeded.  
As, much as it hurt that Leona couldn’t do anything about it. It did feel nice she was being tended to after all the crap she went through. Leona began to hear the Mistress and her daughter whispering to each other thanks to her vampire hearing she could understand well even if she was fading in and out of consciousness.  
“Mother, I think I have a good feeling about this one. She’s already so experienced in sex and in life! I took a peek at her resume too and I think she deserves more than just a simple maid position!”  
The Mistress nodded her head. “I agree. To be honest, she seems to be more responsible than Sachie. Not only that she seems to have a good amount of knowledge about these creatures, from the city, she’ll take much better care of them than Marisa. And she won’t be afraid of them like Sachie, Mikako, or Makoto.”  
Marika sighed. “It’s a shame though, I was really looking forward to our usual welcoming party, but because she isn’t a virgin we can’t really do that now. She may not be a man but I was so looking forward to playing with her!”  
“Don’t worry, We do have those other two applicants that are coming tomorrow. I’m sure we will have our fun then. I have a feeling we’ll get our taste of some nice virgins tomorrow night. And I’m sure you can still have your fun with Leona too.”  
Leona tried to comprehend what they were saying. ‘So did I get the job?’  
The two of them walked over to Leona and Mikako.  
“Congratulations Leona! Marika and I gave it a lot of thought, and decided to hire you! Since you are already so accomplished, you will have the same status as Sachie!  
Leona was relieved that she was finally hired, but she was so exhausted and humiliated that she couldn’t even think of celebrating. If she wasn’t on a mission, she would have bolted the moment they moment they started those dumb questions.  
After that the Mistress took her finger and placed it on a foam ink pad she saw at the police station and she pressed on what felt like paper. Next she placed a pen in her hand, and had her right her name on said paper.  
“Welcome to your new home! And here is a little welcoming gift from me to you.”  
Leona felt something cold and metallic clasp on her wrist.  
“Mikako please continue to tend to Leona.”  
“As you wish, Ma’am.” After that the Mistress and Marika left the office.  
Leona continued to be played with by Mikako. Even though she could barely speak all she could say was, “forgive...me..Kl…..” She then passed out in Mikako’s arms.

Leona could feel that she was floating. She was no longer feeling hurt or tired from that nightmare of an interview. She felt calm. More than that, she felt like she was in a very familiar place. When she opened her eyes, she could see that she was in the sea of stars again. Only this time there weren’t any bubbles showing her the future like last time. Leona felt a strange happiness here. This was where she fully embraced her role as a beholder, and no longer felt the shame of having the all-seeing-eyes of the gods.  
This was when she heard a voice. “WHAT AWFUL HUMANS. THEY HURT LITTLE LEONA!”  
This voice was not so familiar to her. This time it wasn’t the deity that gave her the eyes, but someone else. The voice was still deep and booming like the old deity only this time it sounded a bit more feminine.  
“Who...who are you?” Leona asked nervously.  
“DO NOT BE AFRAID LITTLE ONE. YOU DON'T KNOW ME, BUT YOU ARE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH MY BROTHER. THE ONE WHO GAVE YOU THE EYES.”  
Leona remembered the old deity mentioning he had a sister, and that she was the one who requested that the next beholder to be a female. Not only that she led Sonic to her!  
“Are you the goddess of fate by any chance?”  
“I AM SHE.”  
“Thank you for leading Sonic to me that day! I’m really glad I have him in my life.”  
“HAHA! YOU ARE QUITE WELCOME MY CHILD. THOSE WERE THE ONLY TIMES I HAVE ALTERED YOUR FATE. THE REST WAS ALL YOU.”  
“Really, you weren’t involved with anything after Sonic?”  
“INDEED, YOU HAVE REWRITTEN AND ALTERED FATE SO MANY TIME THAT YOU MAY AS WELL BE A GODDESS OF FATE YOURSELF! MY BROTHERS, SISTERS AND I WERE SO SURPRISED WHEN YOU AND THE WARRIOR KLAUS VON REINHERZ BECAME LOVERS THAT WE ALL REALIZED YOU ARE NOT A NORMAL BEHOLDER, OR A NORMAL BLOOD BREED FOR THAT MATTER! I MERELY LEAD THE MONKEY TO YOU SO YOU COULD START YOUR PATH. BUT YOUR FATE WAS WRITTEN BY YOUR OWN HANDS, NOT MINE.”  
This was all rather confusing and frightening, but still pretty intriguing!  
“But why am I here again? That’s kind of what I would like to know.”  
The disembodied voice sighed. “I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THESE HUMANS. GENERATION AFTER GENERATION OF THIS FAMILY HAS LIVED OFF THE SUFFERINGS OF HUMANS AND BEYONDIANS ALIKE, THAT IT EVEN MAKES THE MOST HARD HEARTED OF MY KIND WEEP. YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND ONLY YOU CAN FIX THE WRONGS THESE PEOPLE HAVE CAUSED”  
“Wait, so when they were talking about giving me a high position, was that your doing?”  
“NO, THESE PEOPLE ARE SO DRUNK IN THEIR POWER FOR LUST AND GREED THAT THEY THINK THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE EXPERIENCED, GIVING YOU A HIGH RANK WILL MAKE THEM THINK THEY CAN EASILY CONTROL YOU. THE REASON YOU ARE HERE IN MY DOMAIN IS SO THAT I CAN WARN YOU. THERE WILL BE TIMES IN THE COMING DAYS WHERE YOU FEEL ANGRY, AND BECAUSE OF YOUR POWER YOU MAY WISH TO KILL THOSE WHO HAVE WRONGED NOT JUST YOU, BUT EVERYONE ELSE THEY HAVE HURT. WHEN THE TIME COMES YOU MUST REMEMBER YOUR PURPOSE. YOU ARE NOT JUST A BEHOLDER, YOU ARE MERCIFUL RED!”  
Leona was touched by the goddesses kind words, but something occurred to her.  
“Wait the two people who are coming tomorrow will also be wanting the job positions. I overheard the Mistress saying that they might be virgins. Is that true?”  
“ALAS SHE IS NOT WRONG, THESE SOULS HAVE YET TO KNOW OF THE TRUE PLEASURES OF THE FLESH. AND BECAUSE OF THIS FACT, THOSE HUMAN MONSTERS WILL DO EVERYTHING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LIVING HELL.”  
“Oh no….If what I felt during the interview was bad, because I have experience...Those three are going to eat them alive! Can you do anything to help?”  
“THAT IS ALL UP TO YOU YOUNG ONE. YOU MUST NOT ONLY PROTECT THE CHILDREN OF THE ALTERWORLD, BUT THE HUMAN SOULS WHO HAVE BEEN WRONGED BY THESE PEOPLE! HOWEVER, I MUST WARN YOU ABOUT THE YOUNG MAN. WHILE HE DOES HAVE A GOOD HEART, LUST, GREED, AND PRIDE CLOUDS HIS MIND. AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE BECOME A FAVORITE IN THE MAMIYA’S EYES HE WILL RESENT YOU FOR THAT. HE WILL NOT TRUST YOU AND WILL TRY TO PROTECT THE YOUNG WOMAN ON HIS OWN. WHILE THAT IS NOBLE HE IS RATHER FOOLISH AND ABOVE ALL HE IS JUST A HUMAN. AND WHEN HUMANS LIKE THE MAMIYA’S HAVE THE WEALTH AND POWER TO BEND THOSE LIKE THE YOUNG MAN AND WOMAN TO THEIR WILL, LIVES ARE RUINED FOREVER. YOU MUST CONVINCE HIM TO TRUST YOU, OTHERWISE I FEAR THOSE TWO WILL BE LOST.  
Leona understood what she had to do but it seems this guy was a lost cause! She might be able to save the girl, but the other guy sounds far too stubborn for her to handle!  
“But if this guy won’t be able trust me, How can I help him? Couldn’t I just save just the girl instead?”  
“MY SISTER OF LOVE HAD ALREADY SEEN TO IT THAT THEY ARE MADE FOR ONE ANOTHER. AS WE SPEAK THEIR FATES ARE ALREADY INTERTWINED. YOU MUST MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE BY THE TIME THE TWO WEEKS ARE UP!”  
“But how can I convince him that I’m on their side if they won’t trust me?”  
“YOUNG ONE...I HAVE SEEN THE FATES OF SO MANY LIVES CHANGE ALL BECAUSE OF YOU. BECAUSE OF THE EVER FLOWING KINDNESS OF YOUR HEART AND STRENGTH OF WILL YOU HAVE MADE THE LIVES OF THOSE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. I HAD SEEN THOSE LIVES HEADED STRAIGHT FOR PATHS OF DARKNESS THAT I HAD GIVEN UP HOPE ON THEM. BUT YOU? YOU HAVE HELPED THEM FIND THE LIGHT AGAIN! DON’T FORGET YOU ARE MERCIFUL RED, THE MASTER OF FATE!”  
In that moment, Leona saw the images of the people she had helped change, Jack, Tonio and Lacey. And it was not just the blood breeds but Klaus, Zapp, Zed, and to her surprise Steven!  
“Wait, I helped Steven too!?”  
“AH YES. THE ONE WITH THE ICED BLOOD. IN THE PAST HE HAD DONE SO MANY SELFISH DEEDS. DESPITE THE HUMBLE WARRIOR KLAUS’ POSITIVE INFLUENCE, HE STILL COULDN’T ABANDON HIS OLD WAYS. HOWEVER, ONCE YOU’VE JOINED THE ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS LIBRA, YOU HAVE SLOWLY MELTED HIS FROZEN HEART AND HE BEGAN TO TRULY CARE FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM.”  
Leona was amazed by the these fact the goddess has given her. Even she was able to help someone like steven? Wow. She was thoughtful for a few minutes. Her mission have required her to find the victims. However, it seems that her job is more than just finding the victims, she has to save them too! Thanks to images of those she has saved, she now knew what need to be done.  
“I’ll do what I can to help them!”  
“EXCELLENT! YOU WILL AWAKEN SOON YOUNG ONE. IT IS TIME TO LEAVE. BUT REMEMBER THE WISE WORDS YOUR WARRIOR PRINCE HAS BESTOWED UPON YOU, ‘ALWAYS STEP TOWARDS THE LIGHT!’”  
Soon enough Leona was bathed in a flash of white light.  
“GOOD LUCK, BEHOLDER…”

Leona slowly opened her eyes open. She was prepared to awaken in her own room, and get ready for another mundane, yet hectic day in Hellsalem’s Lot. She would head over to Libra’s headquarters and be greeted by Zapp’s clingy arms, Steven waving with cup of coffee in hand, Zed, would greet him while reading a new interesting book, Gilbert would offer her a cup of coffee to start her morning. And of course, Klaus would greet her with a warm smile, a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. Nothing could possibly ruin this day!  
“Good morning, sleepyhead~”  
That’s weird. Klaus’ voice sounds oddly girlish.  
However, reality is far more cruel than fantasies. Sachie’s smiling face over Leona proved that fact.  
“Leona sat up on the couch. Her head was still throbbing because of the tasks as well as her drugged tea. She remembers some of the events that transpired, but not much. All she knows was that before she passed out she was in Mikako’s loving arms. However, she’s no longer here. In her lap was a blanket. I guess she must have covered her while she was sleeping. That was nice of her.  
“I guess I was worried for nothing! I see you’ve really gotten on the families best side. And according to what’s on your wrist you are officially hired! And above all you’ve been given the same rank as me! This is great! Now I have a buddy to boss the other newcomers around!”  
“Wait, wait, wait...I still need to take this in...And could you not talk so loudly? Ugh! I feel like I have a jackhammer in my brain...” Leona looked at her right wrist. I was adorned with a pretty golden bracelet, just like the members of the house and staff are wearing.  
‘I guess, I really do work here for two weeks huh?’ Leona thought with a sense of dread.  
I was then Leona realized she was still naked, considering she was feeling cold now that her blanket slid off of her top half. All she was wearing were the glasses and the blanket that covered her lower half. She really wanted to get dressed as soon as possible.  
However, the clothes and underwear she had on weren't where she had left them. Not only that, her suitcase was gone! All that was left were her backpack that held her non-clothing items as well as the contact lens cameras and her guitar case. ‘What happened to my clothes!?’ Leona thought as she panicked.  
It was then the princess arrived with what looked like a maid uniform in her hands.  
“Oh you’re awake huh?” She was completely indifferent to the fact she was naked on the couch panicking that her clothes were missing.  
“Where are my clothes? And why isn’t my suitcase next to the rest of my things!?”  
“Oh, I threw those things away.” Marisa said it in such a nonchalant way that Leona had a hard time comprehending what she had just said.  
“You threw out my clothes!? Can’t you just get them back for me?” Leona pleaded.  
Marisa gave Leona a nasty smile. “That might be hard considering they’re probably just a pile of ash by now in the incinerator.”  
“You didn’t just threw them out, you burned them!? Leona was furious!  
“Will you quit complaining!? And besides I was actually doing you a favor. You had such boyish clothes that not even a regular boy would be caught dead in them. And not only that the outfit you were wearing made you look like, you got dressed in the dark. Feel free to thank me.”  
‘Oooh! Like hell I will you little bitch! By the time these two weeks are over you are so gonna get it!’. However, Leona remembered the goddess’ words about overcoming her anger. She took a deep breath, and just gave her a glaring look instead. It wasn’t too, too bad. They were mostly a two weeks worth of clothes and they were getting worn through anyway. However, her turtleneck hoodie with the blue sleeves was in that suitcase and she really loved that sweater! Oh well.  
“Here’s the uniform you’ll be needing. It’s not like you’ll be wearing normal clothes anyway while your here. Also mother said to tie your hair back. There’s a hair tie and ribbon there too.”  
_Oh right...the uniform_. Leona had been dreading this one! At least it looked like it will fit. She just hope it will be easy to put on. They even provided her with underwear.  
Leona started with the white panties, then clasped on the dull gold colored strapless bra and then she slipped on the dark colored thigh-highs. Then came the uniform. Fortunately, it was pretty easy to put on the dress part, and the apron can be put on pretty easily too. She put on the high heels, tied her hair into a low ponytail and put on the headband. While it did fit like a glove and was pretty comfortable, she still felt embarrassed because she was showing too much skin then what she was comfortable with.  
“It really suits you quite nicely!” Sachie complimented.  
“Meh, it’s alright I guess.” said Marisa.  
“Anyway, dinner will be served at 7:00 PM. Don’t be late!”  
And with that Marisa left the two maids alone in the office.  
“Well, you won’t officially start work until tomorrow morning. Do you want me to give you a tour of the mansion before you get settled Leona?”  
Leona thought a tour could help her familiarize herself with the mansion. Since she will be working here as her cover, she needed to know where everything is.  
“Sure! That would be great. Oh, and feel free to call me Leo if you want. My friends do anyway.”  
“Awesome! Right this way.” Leona and Sachie walked out of the reception room and out into the hall.  
“I still can’t believe you managed to pull that off Leo! I mean getting to one of the top maid positions even though you are still a newcomer?! Talk about crazy!”  
Leona didn’t think it was anything to get excited about. The humiliation still lingered.  
“Did you have to go through that kind of interview when you first started here, Sachie.”  
“Ya but I was still a virgin when I did that interview! So, they gave me a more difficult time when I first started out. You’re so lucky, it’s insane! You know, you are actually one of the rare five percent of workers who had sexual experience before coming to work here. I’m telling you I’ve seen a lot of servants come and go, and all the one who started out as virgins all wished they weren’t when they did the interview. The family absolutely LOVES picking on the virgins when they come here.”  
“I know you keep saying I’m lucky and everything, but honestly, I don’t really feel all that lucky. I still remember the humiliation I felt during that interview and physical exam.”  
Sachie just scoffed at her. “Trust me honey, You’re as lucky as you can get. You don’t even have to go through the whole welcoming party schtick they normally do with new employees.”  
“Out of curiosity, What do they do at these “welcoming” parties?” Leona asked.  
“Well I’m really not supposed to tell you, but since we’re on the same level work-wise and you won’t have to go through that, I will.” Sachie led her into a closet nearby as they walking down the hall.  
“You see, for the family it is a party, but for the employees on the other hand...it’s more or less a cruel initiation ceremony. It’s what they do to all the new staff who are virgins. On the first night after they become new employee they lose their virginity to the Mistress if they are a boy, or to her son, Kyouichi or Makoto, or any other male employee who happens to be in the room if they are a girl. I remember, the last welcoming party they had and uh...ya...wasn’t pretty.”  
Leona gulped, she really did dodge a major bullet on that one! If she was still a virgin...She decided to shut that thought out of her mind before she became too upset.  
Sachie continued, “Remember you didn’t hear this from me, understand. Oh and if those two do happen to get the job and are virgins, do not tell them about what happens at the welcoming party. Otherwise, we’ll both end up in trouble. Promise?”  
While Leona was very conflicted since it seemed like a morally bankrupt promise, she agreed anyway.  
“Okay, I promise…”  
Sachie smiled at Leona’s answer. “Great! Now on with the tour!”  
The bottom floor of the house had the reception room, but they were already in there. Then there was the kitchen and the dining room, the basement which held the wine cellar as well as the generator. Since they lived way up in the mountains they couldn’t get electricity the normal way so in order to keep the lights, fans, plumbing and the water hot for the bath they needed a big generator to be turned on in the morning. Leona agreed to do that until the next applicant came. They did have a half bath on this floor but unfortunately, it was backed up thanks to the Mistress. Apparently, she had a bit of a constipation problem. Leona prayed to the gods that she did not have to help her out with that!  
Next, was the upstairs floor. Most of them were bedrooms for the young members of the family, as well as the Mistress’ master bedroom. Then there were the bedrooms where the servants slept. Back in the day they used to sleep in the servant’s quarters but since they only hire the bare minimum these days, they sleep on the same floor as the family. Not only that the staff dines with the family as well.  
Leona thought, ‘Wow. Despite how fucked up these people are on how they treat the new staff they are relatively modern with them too.’  
They had a toilet on the floor which thankfully, wasn’t broken. There was also the recreation room where it had a pool table, dart boards, and complete with a bar Sachie said that she and Marika would sometimes compete at pool, but apparently she wasn’t very good because she always ends up losing her money to Marika. Leona suspected this was why she stayed here longer than she should have. And then there was the grand bath! It was freaking huge! There was a big step-in shower, a changing room, a sauna, and then there was the bathtub. To be honest, it may as well have been a small pool!  
After the tour was over Sachie told Leona about the new accessory she had on her wrist. Not only was it used a communicator to get in contact with the family and the rest of staff, but it was also a watch, and it was also waterproof. Which was a good thing because Leona had no idea on how to get it off.  
On her way to her room, both women were greeted by a young man who was at the mercy of another young man just a few years younger than him.  
“I-I-I-I’m sorry Master Kyouichi! But I really did work hard on making the tea for you. Ah!”  
The poor thing was then met by a finger sandwich to the face.  
“I asked for earl grey tea you clod! And yet you brought me darjeeling instead! Go back to the kitchen and do it right this time!” The two boys stopped and stared at the maids who just witnessed their little specktakel. “The teenager who was throwing a tantrum had magenta colored hair like Marie, is a few inches taller than Leona, had a beauty mark underneath his left eye and wore a sailor crop top and short, shorts. Not only that, his fly was open and he honestly didn’t seem to care. The frightened servant was very effeminate looking. He had blonde wavy hair. A beauty mark under his right eye, and is a few inches taller than Kyouichi. And since he appeared to be a servant, Leona thought his outfit must be the male servant uniform.  
“Sachie! Who the hell is this chick?” Said the rude boy.  
“This is Leona Watch, She’ll be working here starting tomorrow.” said Sachie  
“It’s nice to meet you.” Despite this boy being really rude he is still a mamiya so she decided to be polite in her greeting.  
Kyouichi kept eyeing her from top to bottom, as if she was sizing her up like she was a prime cut of meat.  
He then gave her a crude smile. “Hah! I can’t wait for the welcoming party tonight!”  
Sachie decided to tell him the bad news. “She won’t be getting one. She’s already ‘experienced’.”  
He then gave a pout that would turn the sweetest milk sour. “Lame! I would have to have seen you trembling once I was done with you! Makoto! Get to work on that tea, Now!” He then slammed his door shut.  
“What a horrid boy!” Leona said to sachie. She still couldn’t believe a boy who was three years her junior would tell her something so vulgar. He was like a male version of Marisa!  
The blonde servant still looked pretty shaken up, so Leona went over to him to help clean the sandwich that was thrown at him.  
“Are you okay? That looked pretty bad.” Leona asked with concern in her voice.  
The young man blushed as he picked up what was left of the tea snack.  
“Oh, I-I’m okay! I’m used to it.” The boy said meekly.  
“Leona this is Makoto Nonohara, He’s Mikako’s son.”  
Leona was surprised! Both mother and son worked here? Considering his pretty boy looks the resemblance between him and his mom was clear as day. However, why are both of them working here? The mom, Leona could understand a little, but the son too. she wondered if Makoto was embarrassed that he had to see his mom wear that maid outfit everyday?  
“You’re working here too right? It’ll be great to have another person to help out around here!”  
Makoto grabbed the handle of his tea cart. “It was nice meeting you, Leona!” He then sped off to the kitchen. Even though she had Klaus and pretty boys weren’t really her speed, she couldn’t deny he looked really cute when he smiled and blushed like a schoolboy.  
After that Sachie took Leona to her room where she could get settled in. She told her that she can spend the rest of the day to unpack, clean up, or take a nap before dinner.  
“Thanks for the tour, and for introducing me to Kyouichi, and Makoto. Although, I have to say the Latter was more pleasant to talk to than the former.”  
“Ya well that’s the Mamiya family for you. Each one, beautiful yet twisted in their own little fucked up way. But considering you’re the mistress’ favorite right now I think you will do better than most of the servants. So for now it’s probably just best to shrug off the interview.”  
Leona wasn’t sure we would be able to do that, but she thanked her anyway.  
Before, Sachie left, Leona asked “Oh ya one more question? What time do servants normally wake up for morning duties?”  
“Hmm? It’s probably best to wake up around 6:00 AM. Most of the women here are not really morning people so they do like to sleep in. However, the mistress usually wakes up in time for breakfast. It’s always best to get at least a little bit of your morning work done before than. Since you will need to turn on the generator for tomorrow I suggest you should do that after you wake up.”  
“Okay, sound fair.”  
After that, Leona shut the door and looked around her room. For a servant bedroom it did look rather nice! The bed was nice and soft, there was plenty of space, a small desk with a few books on it, a closet, a ceiling fan with electric lights and not only that, a sink and mirror so she can wash up in the mornings and evenings! To top it all off, there was a very splendid view of the mountains and garden.  
She decided to spend the rest of her day settling into her new environment. Since she no longer had any clothes to unpack, it made unloading the rest of stuff a bit easier. Although, she still wished she had her clothes. She decided to keep the guitar in her case for the time being so it didn't get dirty. She decided to empty out the contents of her backpack instead. However, once she opened the bag…  
“HOOT HOOOOOT!!” The little sonic speed monkey suddenly jumped out from the bad and onto Leona’s chest, as he tried to give her as a big a hug as his little arms could.  
“Sonic!?” Leona was surprised as she was happy.  
“You silly thing! What are you doing here? I thought I left you with Vivian?”  
Sonic just kept nuzzling his face in the crease of her chest and kept making purring noises.  
“Awwww did you miss me?” Leona picked him up from her chest and into her hands.  
“Hoot” She confirmed that to be a “yes”.  
“You know, you really shouldn’t be here Sonic.” He let out a sad hoot. How could Leona say no to hat?  
“But I am glad so glad you are, you little rascal you!” She brought his face up to hers and began to nuzzle it.  
“It’s good to know I’ll have at least one of my friends here with me! However, if you’re going to stay here, you NEED to stay out of sight from everyone. I don’t want you to get into trouble.”  
Sonic made a cute little salute with his arms saying he knows what to do.  
“Good sonic! Man you won’t believe the day I’ve had. Well, since you were in my backpack the entire time I guess you kinda do, huh?”  
Sonic looked pretty bashful. It was a pretty bad interview. He nuzzled her hand to comfort her.  
“Thanks Sonic.” At this point Leona checked her phone to see if she got any messages from Libra. That’s when she noticed that her phone had absolutely no service up here. She couldn't contact Klaus, or any of her friends from Libra. Not even Vivian or her brother!  
“I guess, I really am on my own now. Aren’t I?”  
Sonic gave her hand a nudge, telling her she wasn’t completely alone.  
“You’re right. At least I have you!”  
She tried to take the sad thought out of her mind and decided to get on with cleaning her room. She set up her laptop on her desk first, it was already pretty clean, so she thought it was okay to place her computer there. Even though she doubted she’ll get internet service out here she still had a few games and movies downloaded onto the laptop. Next she took out a few of her mangas, then her portable game system, her toiletry bag, her case for the glasses cam, and the case that held the contact lens cam. The bed was already neatly made and it looked like the sheats have been pressed. She decided to have a look in the drawers next. There, she had all the provided underwear she’ll need during her stay, along with some nightwear. She took out one of them and noticed that it was a white, see-through negligee. While the uniform was pretty bad the nightie looked alright.  
“It doesn’t look so bad. Who knows maybe I’ll take home with me once I’m finished here? What do you think Sonic?”  
Through the power of charades Sonic was indicating that she would wear it to turn Klaus on when they had their little sleepovers.  
“Hahaha! Ya, I think he’ll like it to!”  
Since the room already looked to be in perfect order, Leona decided to spend the day to relax before dinner time. Since she already took a three hour long nap after the interview, she wasn’t feeling too tired. So instead she reclined on the bed while picking up one of the manga volumes she placed on her nightstand and began reading.  
Leona was so wrapped up in her book she had quickly lost track of the time. The alarm going off on her bracelet proved that. She remembered what Sachie said, If the alarm goes off someone is trying to contact her. All she had to do is press down the middle button to talk to them and release so they can get through.  
“Hello?”  
“Where the hell are you!? You are three minutes late for dinner!?”  
Leona recognized that shrill voice anywhere by now.  
“Oh! I’m sorry I must have lost track of time.”  
“That’s no excuse! Get down here in five seconds or I’ll feed you to Cerberus!”  
Leona didn’t want that to happen, So she bolted out out of the room down the stairs, and into the dining room.  
“Your late!” said Marisa.  
‘Well, geez maybe it’s because it’s nearly close to impossible to get from room to here in that short amount of time, you dumb brat!’ Leona thought to herself.  
The Mistress on the other hand, seemed a bit more understanding.  
“I’ll let it slide this time since you are still new here and getting use to the mansion. However, I do suggest you be prompt for meal times in the future, understand?”  
“Yes, Ma’am!”  
Leona then took her seat and observed the amazing spread before her. The meats were cooked to perfection, they had garlic buttered mashed potatoes, and fresh green vegetables straight from the garden. Not only that, they had a selection of the finest wines.  
“Normally, we would throw a welcoming party for our new employees. However, since you are of special circumstance because of how already experienced you are, and you will prove to be a great asset to the staff, we are just have a regular dinner party instead. I hope you aren’t too disappointed?” The mistress explained.  
After what Sachie had told her earlier, she was more than happy, that she won’t be thrown a “welcoming party” and is more than glad just having this great food. However, she didn’t want to be sound too happy, so she just gave a casual response.  
“It’s cool, The wonderful food is more than enough to know that you have welcomed me into your home. I am really looking forward to my time here!”  
The mistress gave her a seductive smile. “I’m glad to hear that! Depending on how the next two applicants go tomorrow we’ll probably have our little party for them tomorrow night. Now then, a toast! To our new maid, Leona Watch! Cheers!”  
“Cheers!”  
After the toast Mikako asked if she wanted the roast beef or the duck. Since it has been a while she decided to go with the steak that night. It was a perfect medium rare meat and it was perfectly tender. The potatoes were so buttery and fluffy, that it complimented the meat perfectly. The vegetables were very crisp and the vinaigrette really gave it a lot of flavor. The vintage wine was just the icing on the cake. While this food wasn’t blow-your-mind-till-you- have-an-orgasm good like at Molzzo Gazza she still enjoyed every last bite.  
“This really is amazing food, Mikako!”  
She gave her a sweet smile and blushed at the compliment. “I’m glad you like it Leona.”  
The dinner continued with regular conversation and then there was dessert, a rich german chocolate cake with freshly whipped cream.  
Leona was so full after that dessert she could barely stand up!  
“Thank you, so much for the pleasant meal!”  
“It’s our pleasure, my dear! Now, I’m sure you must be exhausted after the long day you’ve had, you’ll want a good night sleep tonight. We have a full day ahead of us tomorrow.”  
Leona stood up to her chair and bowed. “I wish you a good night, Ma’am.”  
“Pleasant dreams Leona.” Said the Mistress.  
Leona was feeling rather lethargic because of that meal, and since she already had a bath with Klaus the night before she decided to save that for tomorrow night and just went straight to her room to get ready for bed. Once her teeth were brushed and her nightie was on she turned off the lights and hopped into bed. Sonic quickly followed suit and nestled in her long mane. Leona still had troubling thoughts in her mind though. Just who are they? What are they after? And why did they treat her much better than the rest of her servants. She remembered the goddess telling her that it was so they could easily control her and to take care of some kind of “delicate” work for them because of her small amount of knowledge of the alterworld. However, all those questions had to wait. Soon enough Leona was already in a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know what the Characters from Starless look like click here at,  
> https://vndb.org/v3161/chars#chars


	6. Chapter 6

Back at Libra, Klaus was feeling on edge.  The morning when Leona and Gilbert left for the mountains, he did feel fine, and he wasn’t lying to Steven when he said that he’s proud of her.  He still is. Throughout the morning, he was feeling pretty normal he kept doing his work like always, and was on alert if they were called on a mission to complete.  All in all, it was a fairly normal morning. In the afternoon however, that was when he was feeling a tad distracted. So many thoughts were going through his mind about Leona.  Did Gilbert and Leona make it to the estate safely? Is Leona okay now that she is there by herself? Is the interview going well? Is she being treated well? Is she scared?

Not only that, every twenty minutes or so he kept checking the flash drive on their main computer to see if the eyewear cams have finished their recording yet.  The way the eyewear cams work is that when Leona puts them on the flash drive that’s connected to them will blink orange indicating that the cameras are on and that they are currently recording what the wearer sees and hears.  Once the eyewear cams have been taken off the flash drive flashes blue, indicating that the camera has been turned off and the recording has completed. Once Klaus, Steven and Zed have finished reviewing the video they would burn it onto a blank DVD and would save them to take to the authorities once Leona came back.

However, Klaus really wanted to know what was going on over there right now!  He knows that he promised he wouldn’t go into papa bear mode while Leona was away, but he couldn’t help it.  He loves Leona with every fibre of his being, that he couldn’t help but worry. However, he also knows that he can’t really play the papa bear card with Leona.  As her lover and best friend he wanted to treat her as his equal. They both know that their jobs come with risks and they accepted that.

However, he just couldn’t stop the awful squirms of worry going on in his stomach.  He just wanted the day to be over already!

Steven walked in on Klaus in the conservatory, and noticed that he was giving the plant a little too much water than it needed.

“Woah! Klaus your going to drown the damn thing!”  Steven lifted the watering can from Klaus’s hand.

Klaus blinked a few times than looked down at the plant that was in its waterlogged pot.

“Oh!  Sorry Steven, I guess I must have been lost thought there.”

Steven sighed, “Klaus it’s only been five hours so far!  I’m sure Leona is doing fine. She’s pretty much just going to do the interview and settle in to her new environment today.”

Klaus understood that, but he didn’t know what the interview would be like for Leona.

Steven noticed the distressed look on his face and though it would be best to distract him with something to eat.

“Klaus, maybe it would be best if you stop what you’re doing and have some lunch to take your mind off of Leona for now.”

Klaus was about to object, but then an audible growl came from his middle.

Klaus blushed then coughed at his embarrassment.

“I suppose I could use a break.”

“Attaboy Klaus.  Come on I know a great sandwich shop that I know you’ll like.”

While at the shop, Klaus ordered a pretty big meal.  It was a 15 inch hoagie with all the fixings, large fries and a large iced tea.

Steven was getting concerned considering his larger-than-normal midday meal. ‘My word, I know Klaus does like to order food that’s a little on the big side but this may seem a bit much even for him!’

Steven then realized that he’s stress eating.  He didn’t have to worry too much because of his monstrous metabolism as well as his daily workouts but he hoped this won’t become an everyday thing for him until Leona returns.  Even Klaus realizes that he can’t eat his feelings away.

Once they’ve returned to the office with their lunch in tow they found Gilbert had returned from his six hour trip to the Catskills and back.

Klaus immediately ran to him and grabbed his shoulders.

“Gilbert!  Your Back! Is Leona okay?  Is she inside the mansion right now?  Did you talk to her during the trip? What did she say?  What did you say? What-”

Steven ran to them,  “Seriously Klaus, calm down! Let the man speak.”

Klaus let the bandaged man go, “I’m sorry Gilbert, I don’t know what came over me.”

Gilbert gave his young master a calm smile. “Tis, alright young sir.  Ms. Leona was getting a little nervous once we got close to the estate, however I gave her a small pep talk and it seemed to have raised her spirits.”

Klaus was somewhat relieved.  “Oh, I see. That’s good to hear.”

“Also young sir, she also had me promise to make sure that you don’t get another ulcer while she is away.  Judging by the way you grabbed me for answers as well as the sizable lunch you have there, I believe her fears are now warranted.”

Klaus looked down in shame of his behavior.

Gilbert placed a hand on his shoulder.  “I know this is nerve wracking for all of us but do try to stay calm.  The two weeks will fly by in a flash, you’ll see.”

“As, usual Gilbert, your right.”  Klaus said.

The butler smiled.  “Well, I wouldn’t say usually, but yes, you are correct sir.”

Steven smiled, ‘Gilbert seems to be getting smug in his old age.  Still it’s good to know he’s looking out for him. I should continue doing the same thing.’

 

The rest of the day went off without a hitch, and by around 8:30 PM the flash drive’s light had turned blue and footage was available to them now.  Zed, Steven and Klaus decided that all three of them should be present for the first night of reviewing the evidence footage. After that, they will decide to work in shifts.  Zed and Steven had talked this over. They knew that it wouldn’t be healthy if Klaus took every shift to review the tapes. It would just make him stir crazy. The three of them went to the main computer.  Klaus wanted to sit in the main chair in front of the computer. Steven seemed hesitant at first, but since it was only the first day it wouldn’t be a problem.

Klaus was finally able to know what Leona’s first day was like.  As glad as he was that he will be able to know what Leona’s first day was like, a part of him was afraid to know.  He only knew of the research about the Mamiya’s so who knows what they might do to her? However, the only way to know was to watch that tape.  

“Well Klaus, we’re ready when you are.  Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Klaus took a deep breath to try to calm his nerves.  Fortunately Gilbert had made them some tea and snacks since this was bound to be a long video.

“I’ll be fine Steven.”  And with that, Klaus pressed play on the media player.

The video first started with Leona in Gilbert’s car.  It would seem she decided that she would put the glasses on once she got to the mansion.  The Gilbert on the screen told her that they were there and asked if he wanted to get her things for her.  While they couldn’t see her expression since it was from a first person view she did seem hesitant to get out of the car, but that was only for a few minutes.

Klaus thought this was pretty surreal.  In a way it was as if he had stepped into Leona’s shoes for the day and is about to actually live out the events she experienced that day.

Once Leona said she would get the bags herself, she was out of the car and right onto the Mamiya’s property.

Leona then gets to drivers seat and of course, Tells Gilbert about Klaus’ ulcers.

“I guess Gilbert wasn’t lying when Leona gave him specific orders to make sure you don’t have any tummy issues while she’s on her mission, Klaus.”  Steven Laughed.

Klaus blushed, but he was thankful for Leona’s concern.  He probably suspected that she would feel guilty if her absence had caused him to worry himself sick.

They see Gilbert drive away and then come across the gate where the mansion stood just up ahead.

“It’s just as I remember it.”  Klaus said.

Leona was having a bit of trouble with the gate since it was locked and there was not intercom either.

Thanks to that little fact it showed that they did not want too many visitors at their residence besides the new employees as well as the guests for their annual parties.

Leona began to climb the gate next in order to get in.

“I’m impressed.  Her training with the elder blood breed and your sparring dates must have really done wonders for her upper body strength!”  Zed explained.

“Indeed, this gate seems like child’s play to her.”  Said Steven.

Klaus was impressed yet concerned.  “I just hope she doesn’t get into too much trouble for hopping the fence.”

It seemed everything was going well.  Until, a dog came up and started barking.  Steven feared that they would have some kind of guard dog or any kind of secret service.  Leona tried to calm the dog down but to no avail.

Leona seemed to be at a loss at what to do now since there was no way to get it.  If she used her powers the family would get suspicious and of course would link the crime to her.

However, things began to pick up since one of the house’s residents came out to investigate the problem.

The girl did accuse Leona of being a thief but that was only natural.  She did try to hop the fence afterall.

Fortunately, since Leona was able to tell the blonde her name she was in the clear, and was able to get onto the estate grounds.

It really was a very gorgeous estate!  Even Klaus was very impressed by the garden that they had!  Leona must have been pretty dazzled too.

Since Klaus went out of his way to pamper Leona when they went out on dates he’d forgotten that Leona gets a little overwhelmed by luxury.  Leona even told him that she felt that she was taking advantage of him somehow by how much he spoils her sometimes.

Klaus understood, but after everything she had went through he felt she deserved more than what life had to offer her.  He knew that Leona wasn’t a materialistic person, far from it. But still, Klaus did sometimes went a little too far with the extravagance sometimes.

Leona’s monologue about how wonderful the estate was, was then cut short by the Mamiya girl in front of her.  She definitely did not make Leona feel welcome at all. She was not exactly a sympathetic host when she said she didn’t care if Leona was hired or not.

“Hmpf, sweet girl.”  Steven said sarcastically.

“She certainly, isn’t the most compassionate Mamiya at the estate.  But then again I doubt any of them are.” Klaus explained.

Once Leona was inside the main hall of the estate she met a woman that looked like she was a part of the staff.

When her maid outfit was revealed up close the three men pretty much had the same reaction.

Steven began blushing at the sight of the gaudy thing.  “Well….umm…...that uniform….is kinda….wow….”

“I’m going to have to agree with Steven on this one.  Is Leona really going to have to where that thing?” Asked Zed.

Klaus was at a loss for words too.  Even though Klaus did see her in a maid uniform before, it was cute and it suited her.  This one on the other hand, it was ugly as sin and it showed way more skin than it should have.

“It is rather...proactive...but it would seem Leona really won’t have much of a choice.”  Klaus said dejectedly.

If the uniform was bad, he really didn’t want to know what the family had in store for her.

Another woman came onto the seen and judging by the way she was dressed she probably another resident of the estate.  The maid soo to be known as Sachie introduced her as Lady Marika Mamiya. The soon learned that the girl who gave her less than welcome greeting to Leona was her younger sister Marisa Mamiya.  Marika proved to be very different than her sister considering she treated Leona with kindness and warmth upon her arrival.

Even though Zed is in a healthy relationship with Vivian, he couldn’t stop himself from blushing at how pretty and nice Marika was.

Klaus was impressed that she was kinder than her sister, but even he knew false kindness when he sensed it.  There was something more to this girl than what meets the eye.

The maid then lead Leona through the hallway on the first floor to what was probably the office of the matriarch of the family.

However, on the way over Sachie began asking Leona these bizarre questions about her personal life.

The one that made Klaus’ hair stand on end was “Do you have any experience with men?”  This was indeed a very personal and weird question to ask a newcomer. And not only that she seemed very pushy about it.  When Leona answered honestly the maid looked somewhat relieved but unsure about something. As to what she was unsure of they did not know yet.

Zed still tried to remain optimistic.  “Maybe she just asked Leona those questions as a joke?  Just as way to haze the new girl before her interview?” Zed remembered Zapp did the same thing when they went all around the city to find lunch on his first day.

Steven thought it could be part of it, but when Sachie said that Leona “will find out soon enough” as to why she wanted to know about her bedroom activities, he felt on edge just as Klaud did.

They were then inside the parlour where the mistress was waiting for her.

She looked just as Klaus had remembered.  Magenta hair, alluring figure, porcelain skin and those eyes.  Those awful ember eyes that stared into Klaus’ soul as his parents tried to get him away from that horrid site at the mansion.

Steven noticed Klaus’ breathing was started to get a little heavy.  He put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and said. “Klaus, if you need a break we can-”

“No! No….I’ll be fine.  I,-I have to know.”

Steven was unsure, due to Klaus’ reaction but he decided to let it go for now.

All in all the interview was relatively normal.  Lady Marie was rather taken away by Leona’s impressive resume.  They all were. One of the things that Libra really admires about Leona was her work ethic and how independent she is.  Everything seemed to be going well and it looked like Leona was on her way to passing the interview. However, the Mistress still wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t regret her decision when she chose Leona so she need Leona to take a small test.

Everyone was feeling unsure by this point.  Anything could happen during her “so called” test.

Soon enough the mistress was joined by her daughters.

Marie did try to scold her daughter for not taking care of her dog when Leona arrived but shifted the blame all onto Leona for coming in before she had a chance to do so.

Zed was shocked.  “I can’t believe she’s making herself out to be the victim in this!”

Klaus and Steven on the other hand, were not surprised at all.  In both their lives they had dealt with people who were exactly like Marisa.  They felt that she was going to be problem since she pretty much smelled trouble like a wolf.  However, she didn’t seem to be on Leona’s case too much. Plus, she really wasn’t all that smart so they decided to worry about her later for the time being.  The mistress mentioned she has a son too, and that Leona would probably end up meeting him later.

Steven was impressed that a woman who doesn’t look a day over thirty has given birth to three children who were now in their late teens and early twenties!  He had a suspicion that they probably weren't human, but because of Leona’s eyes she would know that right off the bat.

After the formal introductions were over it was time for the test.

The three of them were not prepared for the first question.  Then now realized why Sachie had asked that question, because the Mistress immediately asked, “Do you have any experience with men?”

Klaus almost choked on his tea.  Because of that one simple question all the worst thoughts began to cloud his mind.  His anxiety had increased tenfold, and he wondered if Leona was feeling the same thing.  However, he needed to stay calm for her. Despite how ludicrous this question was, she needed to press forward if she even hoped to pass the interview and move on with her assignment.

She answered, honestly.  The family was rather impressed with her answer as they thought by her shy and cute appearance that she may have been a virgin before going there.

Next they asked how old was she when she had her first time.

‘Have they no shame!?  When Leona and I made the decision to move a step forward in our relationship by exploring each others’ bodies, I told her that all that she went through was in the past, and she didn’t have to worry about her past experiences when she was a teenager.  I would never invade her personal life so callously as they are.’

When Leona gave out her age as to when she lost her virginity, the youngest daughter thought to show off that she lost hers’ at sixteen.

The three of them weren’t impressed with that fact.  They thought that teens think too much about growing up as quickly as they can, when in reality they should be happy just being kids while they  still can. Having sex was a big decision to make and it shouldn’t be treated a race to see who’s more adult than the other.

Leona seemed to be the only one to actually learn her lesson about going forward to quickly.

Leona gave a lackluster answer when Marisa asked if she was jealous.

Steven chuckled a bit at Leona’s answer, but stopped immediately when she slapped her across the face for not giving Marisa the answer she wanted to hear.

Klaus’ intimidating aura began to rise off his shoulders.  “Does that child have no shame? Striking someone when they don’t get what they want. Lady Mamiya is truly a failure as a mother for letting her daughter become so beastly!”

Steven had to admit, “To be honest Klaus I’m not all that surprised.  She doesn’t really seem like the motherly type. And she’s not really trying too hard in scolding her daughter.”

On the screen they noticed that Leona had been quiet for a short time.  Then the conversation between Leona and the Mistress started up again.

“Actually, That’s not entirely true.”

“You mentioned a boyfriend, Wasn’t he your first?”

Klaus felt his heart being squeezed in his chest when she asked that question.  He remembered so well, how sad Leona was when she told him she wished she had waited a little longer to have her first be with Klaus.  Seeing Leona cry over something from her past was sometimes too much for his heart to bear. However, he told her that there was nothing to be sad about and she shouldn’t have to feel bad for something that she did as a teenager.  He suspected that she probably felt like used goods, which Klaus would never think of her that way!

However, Leona told them that she had wished she had waited, but also told them how Klaus said that everything’s okay and all that mattered is the here, now and beyond.

Klaus was moved by her words, and how she remembered his, that he started to tear up a bit.

Zed was also moved and so was Steven!  (However, Steven only cries on the inside)

And it would seem they weren’t the only ones who were moved to tears by Leona’s explanation.  Maire and Marika also appeared humbled by her words. They could have been crocodile tears but who knows?  

And of course Marisa found a way to ruin the moment.

Klaus’ eyes widened by what she said next.

“Did she really just say that I would actually tire of my beloved Leona?!”  Klaus was pretty much on fire now.

“Klaus calm down, actually it seems Leona is on top of this,  take a listen.”

Leona just told them how she broke up with her first two boyfriends because how they did not pull their weight when they had sex.

Steven laughed out loud when she compared them to kiddie rides.

“Hahaha!  Well you know what they say Klaus, third time's the charm!”

Klaus blushed a bit, but he did feel a sense of pride knowing that he is the best lover Leona ever has. He was both very proud...and embarrassed.

While that did lighten the mood a bit, the feeling didn’t last long.  All the questions were about their sex life. It felt so intrusive and personal, that it made Klaus squirm in his seat just how humiliated he felt.  Not because of his relationship with Leona but how people treated their relationship like a damn soap opera! Sometimes there were moments where members of his team would get to nosey in their relationship that both of them would not interact with each other at the office just to make the prying stop.

Steven noticed that Klaus’ body language was similar to Leona’s.  Now granted because they were looking at the video through Leona’s first person view he did not know what her body language or expressions looked like.  However, by the way the camera shifted sometimes he could tell she was feeling very anxious just like Klaus is. Not only that Klaus is taking sips of his tea the exact same time that she takes her’s!

This was starting to worry Steven.  He knew that his friend is a very, VERY empathetic man and can easily feel the emotions of others and think of them as his own.  This could become a problem because Klaus and Leona were more than just lovers. They were soulmates! Steven had noticed this since the moment they’ve started dating.  One of them would pretty much knew what the other was thinking and feeling more than half of the time they were together. What made Steven so worried was that his empathy towards his girlfriend would cause him great distress during these next few weeks.  Klaus seemed to be stable for the time being but Steven thought he should probably keep an eye on Klaus as they review future evidence tapes.

Klaus was feeling concerned the more the questions kept coming.  She seemed very apprehensive at first but the more questions she answers the more relaxed she sounds.  Was it because Leona knew they weren’t going to stop that she didn’t care anymore? Or was it something else?  Klaus didn’t know.

Finally the questions were over!  It felt like they were never going to end.  The Mamiya’s were very impressed that’s for sure.  They even said that they have to place her on a higher position because of how experience she had.

“Maybe we were worried for nothing Klaus.  If Leona becomes their favorite employee she should have an easier time of gathering evidence during her stay.  What do you think Zed?”

Klaus and Steven realized that Zed had remained silent for a very long time.  When they paused the video to make sure he was okay, his skin was completely red!  He had found out more information about his friend and his employer’s intimate life than what he needed to hear.  “Hmm...maybe this might be too much for you Zed, If you want, you can just leave this job To Klaus and I?” While Zed felt it was his duty as a friend and co-worker to make sure that Leona is okay during these next few weeks, he had a feeling that this job is going to be more than just cleaning and keeping the house in order. And honestly a big part of him doesn't want to know of what’s to come on these tapes.

“Maybe...It’s for the best.  I mean this is Leona and Klaus’ intimate life afterall.”

Steven put a hand on his shoulder.  “You don’t have to feel bad, just leave this to us and we’ll fill you in, in the morning okay?”

Zed nodded then quickly left the office as soon as possible.

“It’s probably for the best if it’s just the two of us reviewing the evidence footage, Steven.  I have a feeling things are going to get more complex from here on out.”

Klaus’ fears were warranted, when The mistress told Leona is was time for her physical exam.

At first Steven and Klaus thought it was just a normal formality since this was a job that required a lot of manual labor.  However, they were foolish to feel that way when this was a far from normal interview. And they suddenly realized it when they told Leona to take off her clothes.  Klaus and Steven decided to remain silent throughout the physical exam part.

Steven felt very uncomfortable in the room since he was listening to them commentating on Leona’s body.  Klaus was the only one given permission o actually look at her body and he treats it like a temple. But these people are desiccating Leona and sizing her up like a prime rib.  And poor Leona was at the mercy to Marisa’s ruthless insults. The way she ripped her blouse open didn’t make things easier.

Klaus was getting more and more angry the way they were talking to Leona like that.  Klaus loved every inch of her, and he felt that she should never feel ashamed about her body.

However, things were only getting worse.  Next, the wanted Leona to take off her underwear.  And by now the room has become a Russian sauna because of Klaus’ aura.

By now, K.K’s words began to weigh heavily on Steven’s mind.  And the guilt was slithering inside his guts like a bunch of slimy eels.  He didn’t like the feeling one bit. He really did feel that Leona was being thrown to the dogs.

It was even worse for Klaus because since he was sitting in front of the monitor and is looking at the scene through Leona’s eyes, he really feels like he is walking in her shoes for a day!  He could feel every emotion and every hurt that she was feeling in that video. When she took off her clothes Klaus felt naked alongside her, and he felt the urge to cover himself even though he’s fully clothed.

Leona was going through hell, and he couldn’t do anything about it.  The poor thing was being poked and prodded at as if she was some kind of doll!

Afterwards, Leona announced she wasn’t feeling well.  She said it in such a voice that made Klaus’ heart ache.  

They had just removed her pubic hair and it sounded like it hurt a lot. Not only that, the mistress had admitted that her tea was drugged.  They could hear poor Leona’s sniffles from the audio.

Steven felt a dull ache in his chest while hearing her cry.

‘Is this what empathy really feels like?  How can Leona and Klaus stand this?’

Steven’s thought was interrupted by the families debate over who should make Leona feel better.  Marisa complained but it would seem that the maid called Mikako would be the one to do it since she did try to keep Leona calm.  While the act was cruel he could tell that Mikako was trying to be as gentle as she could.

But of course being the little brat that Marisa was, and didn’t want to be treated as the bad guy in this situation, (which was too late for that now) offered to help.

But brave Leona told her defiantly, that she wanted Mikako to help her.

Klaus was proud of her strong will power in that moment even when she was feeling poorly.

However, Marisa didn’t like what she heard that she hit Leona again.  And this time, it sounded harder than the last.

Klaus bit his lip so hard that it started bleeding.

‘She dares call herself a lady of a noble house!?  She doesn’t even deserve the title! It is against my nature to strike a woman but this Marisa girl deserves more than a good spanking!  Hurting a woman when she is already feeling sick. She is nothing more than a sadistic bully!’

Afterwards, Marisa had left the office and Mikako went to work to make her feel better.  Poor Leona was so out of it from both the physical, and emotional abuse as well as the drugs, that she could barely speak.  All she could do was make incoherent mumbles of what she wanted to say.

Leona was then facing up at the ceiling so she was lying down on the sofa.  However, they had no idea what Mikako was doing to her. They could hear her whispering in Leona’s ear that she was going to make her feel better, but they can make out that Leona was trying to say no but obviously she was too weak at the moment to put up a fight.

They could hear a little bit of the Mistress talking to her daughter, but it was too quiet that they need to turn up the volume a bit.

Apparently, they really did like her and they both thought that she deserved more than just being a regular maid.  However, the moment they said the words, “creatures” and “Hellsalem’s Lot” this was when Klaus and Steven became very suspicious.

This was a definite confirmation that the Mamiya's did have something to do with the frequent disappearances.

This was when the Mistress decided to hire her, and signed a form for her.  They assumed they just put a pen to her hand and wrote down her signature for her since she was too out of it to write it herself.  She also presented her with a “gift” but they didn’t what it was. Afterwards all they could see for a while was just the ceiling. They supposed that Leona was unconscious.  They did notice that after thirty minutes Mikako decided to leave her alone to sleep since she has finished her duty to make sure she’s calmed down after that disgusting interview.  They did see her face looking down at Leona’s. All she did was sigh, and she had a very sad look on her face. After that she left and they were back to staring at the ceiling.

Since the footage was going to be like that for a while Steven and Klaus decided to use the time to address the situation.

“Well, that was...umm...ya…..that was something.”  Steven was speechless, and he honestly, did not know where to begin!

Everything that Leona went through in that tape was just beyond cruel! Not only that, but extremely unusual.  Steven wasn’t sure if Leona could handle this kind of assignment if she was to be subject to this kind of abuse.  He knows what kind of trauma Leona went through with the blood breed Girika and he was worried that the events that will unfold over the next two weeks will do to Leona’s mental state.  He knew that the choice was Leona’s but, maybe he should have sided with Zed, Chain, and K.K. They’ve really underestimated the Mamiya’s cruelty and Leona didn’t deserve to be at their mercy.

He decided to present Klaus with his plan to get Leona out.

“Klaus, it’s clear that we’ve underestimated what this family is capable of.  I’m beginning to think Zed, Chain, and K.K. were right, and that I should have had someone else go instead.  I mean, you and I both saw what they did to her in that mockery of an interview! It’s clear that this family is beyond twisted, even for huma.  To be honest Klaus, I’m worried of what this will do to her mental health in the long run after this. She has already suffered so much because of the blood breed that she doesn’t need to add anymore trauma because of this mission.  Listen, we can leave for the Catskills right here, right now and get her out, no questions asked. We can just send someone else in her place. Well, what do you think Klaus?”

Klaus would have answered ‘yes’ in a heartbeat.  However, he was thoughtful for a moment. This was Leona’s choice after all.  It was her decision to take on this assignment and no one else’s, even Steven said so himself when he was arguing with K.K.

While he really wanted Leona to come home where she would be safe, deep down he knew that this wasn’t an option.  Steven wasn’t thinking of how Leona would feel if they just pulled her out of the assignment when she’s barely even started.  Taking her out when they both clearly said that this was Leona’s decision would be totally hippocrytical. Not only that they would have to subject another one of their teammates to the Mamiya’s cruelty.  This wouldn’t be fair to Leona either, because she would feel she was getting special treatment just because she's the most "fragile" of the team. (Which she wasn't) If they decided to take her home tonight she would clearly resent them for it.

And besides, Leona has gone through much, much worse than that interview.  Her experiences with both the blood breed and the doctor that held her brother and his fiance hostage has proved that fact.

Klaus remembered what Michael had told him as to why he referred to Leona as his Princess Tortoise Knight.  Because of the way that tortoises and turtles’ shells are shaped they cannot move backwards.

That’s exactly what Leona is like.  Even though she gets scared, even though she’s shaking, even though she’s crying and she is unable to move for a while.  She will always eventually move forward.

Despite the abuse she took from those women she was still able to move forward with her mission.  Leona’s bravery truly knows no bounds.

“Steven, she can still see the light you know.”

Steven was dumbfounded, “Huh?”

“Take a moment to consider how she feels.  Despite the humiliation and abuse she took, she still went through with it because she knows she has a mission to complete.  Besides, after all she’s been through, she is not the scared little girl you still think she is. While she still suffers from her anxiety she  moves forward, regardless of her fears. She is intent on keeping the promise she made to her friend that she would find her sister. If we take her off the case now, we won’t be doing her any favors. She will only resent us for it.  And all the pain she went through that interview, to her, it would have been all for nothing. So, no Steven. We’re not taking her home.”

Steven’s jaw dropped to the floor.  “But Klaus! After all the anxiety you went through today just waiting for the cameras to finish recording, I thought-”

“I know!  I know, but this is something I’m going to have to deal with.  I believe in her Steven, I know she can do this.”

Steven can only sigh as he took a swig of his coffee.  “I swear, she can be just a headstrong as you are Klaus.”

 

After the three hours she was left unconscious, she was finally awake.  The rest of the footage was pretty normal, and Both Klaus and Steven were grateful for a little bit of normality for once after that crappy interview.  They were not happy that her Clothes have been thrown away, they will bring her a change of clothes when they go to pick her up. Leona’s new co-worker, Sachie gave her a tour around the estate.  Klaus and Steven were rather disturbed by the information about the Mamiya’s “welcoming party” that they would throw for new employees. However, they were relieved that Leona will not be getting one considering her great resume and past intimate experiences.  That was something they did not want to see! They continued on with the tour and Leona was able to meet two more people who live in the estate.

One was the the third Mamiya child and the other young man was a servant of the family as well as Mikako’s son.

The boy called Kyouichi may as well have been a Marisa 2.0 by how rude he is just like her.  However, he is far more vulgar than Marisa. Steven thought he heard Klaus growling when Kyouichi told Leona what he would do to her if she was thrown a welcoming party.

They blonde servant seemed like the timid type and was a punching bag for Kyouichi.  However, he seemed like the friendly sort and eager to please the family. However, they were curious as to why he is working alongside his mother.  Was it a financial issue they were dealing with that required both of them to work? This was something they needed to think about another time. Leona was then shown to her room where she would get settled in for the two weeks she will be there.  However, as she was unpacking what was left of her belongings, it would seem Sonic made himself a stowaway.

“Do you think Sonic might be a problem, Klaus?”  Steven asked.

“I don’t think so.  Leona usually has pretty good control over her monkeys and Sonic in particular is the most obedient to Leona.  Besides, it’s good she has at least one companion from home that is familiar to her.”

The rest of the video was mundane.  Leona relaxed in her room for the rest of the afternoon, she had dinner and went to bed.

Klaus and Steven burned the footage onto a disk and then called it a night.

Gilbert was waiting to take Klaus back to his residence and Steven was about to go to his place when he asked for the tenth time today.

“Now Klaus, are you sure you’re gonna be okay?  I know this first video was fairly tame, but it was still pretty disturbing, so…”

“I’ll be okay, Steven.”  and with that Klaus and Gilbert went on their merry way.

Do to the disturbing interview part of the tape, it made Klaus lose his appetite for any supper, so he decided to have just a light snack, a shower and to get ready for bed.

Glitter went to sleep on her fluffy pillow that Klaus made up for her,

However, Klaus could not sleep.  Leona’s crying from when they had her naked for the physical exam part of interview was still ringing in his ears.  He knew that he believed in Leona...but he was feeling unsure.

Looking back on Steven’s question, he honestly didn’t know if he was okay.  But he needed to stay calm, for both Leona and his sake.

However, he was not looking forward to tomorrow's video.


	7. Chapter 7

Leona woke up to the sound of the alarm clock on her phone.  It was around 6 AM, just the time when the servants are required wake up and get an early start on their morning duties.  Leona was used to waking up at this time anyway but, she was somewhat dreading what the day had in store for her.  However, she knew she couldn’t avoid the inevitable so she rubbed the sleepies out out of her eyes and slowly got out of bed.  Since Sonic was nestled in her hair he had a rude awakening when he was tumbled out of his makeshift bed.

“Sorry, Sonic.”  Leona apologized after he gave her a grumpy look.

However, he quickly got out of his mood when he nuzzled her face to greet her good morning.

“Haha! And a good morning to you too, Sonic.”

Leona got to the sink to wash up her face. She inserted the contact cams next and then brushed her teeth before she got out of her nightie and got dressed in her uniform. 

She then brushed and tied her hair back in a ponytail, since that was the protocol for any servants with long hair.  She saved the stockings, shoes and headband for last.

Once she was all dressed and ready for the day she decided to head to the basement to turn on the generator first before breakfast was served.

She was about to head out when they’re was a knock on her door.

Leona turned her head around to tell Sonic to hide but it would seem he was way ahead of her in that regard and vanished before she could say anything.

“Leo, are you awake?  Can I come in?”

It was Sachie.  Since it is Leona’s first official day on the job she guessed Sachie just wanted to make sure she was up on time.

“You can come in.”  Said Leona

Sachie opened the door to bid Leona good morning.  “Wow! Looks your all ready to go this morning! I was just coming to wake you up, but I guess you have everything under control here.  Most people find it a pain to wake up this early.”

Leona smiled, “it’s okay, I’m usually a morning person anyway.  I was just about ready to head to the basement to turn on the generator.”

“Oh!  I forgot to mention something.  The generator runs automatically once the boilers been turned on.  Sorry, I tend to forget that little info sometimes.”

“It’s cool it shouldn’t be too hard anyway.”

“Awesome!  So, shall we go?  I can take you to the basement again.  I do have my own duties to attend to this morning, so you’ll have to handle the boiler on your own.”

“Sure!  Lead the way!”

Leona and Sachie went down the 2nd floor hall and down into the main hall.  Leona can see Mikako and her son downstairs talking. Their head turn to face the two maids coming down the stairs.  Mikako and Makoto greeted the pair with sweet smiles.

“Good Morning Leona, Did you sleep well last night?”  Mikako asks Leona in such a sweet manner she may as well have honey coming out of her mouth.

“I did, Thanks for asking!”  Leona says to her cheerfully.

“Good morning, Leona!”  Says Makoto.

Leona smiled and greeted him with a proper good morning too.

“Are you heading off to the basement this morning?”  Mikako asked.

“Yep, sure am.”

“I wanted to ask, would you kindly go out and give Cerberus his breakfast once you are done with the boiler downstairs?  I’m almost done preparing it and I still need to get everyone’s breakfast on the table.”

Leona was somewhat reluctant.  She knew she didn’t exactly made a good first impression with that dog.  However, since Mikako asked nicely she said she wouldn’t mind.

“Sure, I’d be glad to.”

“Wonderful!  Come wait in the dining room for me once you’re finished in the basement and I can give you Cerberus’ food.”

After that Mikako and Makoto went off to do their morning work.

“Are you sure you’re okay with that?  I know that you aren’t exactly on Cerberus’ list of favorite people right now.”  Sachie asked with some concern in her voice.

“I think it’ll be fine.  Besides, she really did help make me feel better after that shit show of an interview yesterday.  It’s the least I could do.” 

Leona meant that.  ‘I really should thank her for yesterday.’

Sachie just shrugged her shoulders and lead Leona down to the basement.  When Leona got in there it was pretty damp, the only source of light was hanging from the sealing and it flickered occasionally.  Sachie told her that the instructions were right next to the boiler. They were fairly simple instructions.

First she needed to flip the switch in order to open up the water pressure valve, and wait until the arrow on the gauge was in the green that way it show that the pressure is stable.  Next, she needed to turn on the switch that handles the temperature valve, and the instructions were the same when she opened valve one. Once she flipped the switch to valve two she heard a fire igniting.  Once the gauge was in the green it was stable. The rest would be handled by the CPU.

“Easy as pie!”

Once the CPU had taken care of the rest, all of the lights in the basement were immediately turned on.  The additional light made the basement a little less spooky. Sort of.

But, Leona suddenly heard something coming from the other side of the large basement.

She wasn’t exactly sure, but it almost sounded like moaning.  She tried to shrug it off, thinking that since the mansion was pretty old, and it was probably just one of the pipes or something making that noise.

However, Leona couldn’t get that nagging feeling out of her head that it maybe more than what she was currently hearing.

Leona walked slowly towards a metal door on the other side of the basement where the moaning was getting a bit louder.  She perked up her ears, and then she heard something that sounded like a man moaning, as if he were in pain.

She honestly hoped that it was just her imagination playing tricks on her and that it was just some old pipe expanding and contracting.  However, her vampire senses were hardly ever wrong.

Leona grabbed the door handle and tried to open it, but of course, it was locked.  There was a keypad right next to the handle but Leona didn’t know the combination. Leona activated her eyes to see if there were any fingerprints on the keys to figure out the four digit combination.

She read in one of her old mystery novels that sometimes the best way to open up a lock with a keypad is to put a bit of foundation on the pad and it will display the prints from thickest to thin.  Thickest fingerprint would be the first button to push while the thinnest would be the last. Leona didn’t have any makeup on her but since she has the god’s eyes she could easily see any finger residue left on the numbers.

But, when Leona activated the eyes, there were absolutely no fingerprints on the pad!  Not a single one! It was so perfectly clean that there wasn’t even a speck of dust to be found.

If the mistress or her children had cleaned the prints or any of the servants were given orders to clean the pinpad after this room was used, Lady Mamiya obviously had something, or someone in here that they are desperately trying to keep secret.  

The moaning came back even louder this time and it scared poor Leona so badly that she ran out of the basement as fast as she could!  Good thing she won’t have to handle the boiler again tomorrow!

However, Leona knew that won’t be the last time she has to go into the basement.  Sooner or later she’ll have to know what’s behind that door.

Once she caught breath after that little scare she went to the dining room to see Mikako waiting for her with a plate of delicious smelling food.

Mikako noticed how pale Leona looked and became concerned.

“Are you alright Leona?  You look like you’ve just seen a ghost!”

Leona possibly couldn’t ask if the Mamiyas had anyone living in the basement it would just make her sound paranoid.

“I, I thought I heard something in the basement, and I guess I got kinda spooked, heh.”

Mikako suspected it was something else but she didn’t pry.

“I see, this house is very old so you have heard one of the pipes contracting.  They’re old too, along with everything else in this mansion so they can get pretty creaky when the heating is turned on. But then again I rarely go into the basement.  I’ve only been down there a few times and I know how spooky it is when it’s dark.”

Leona thought she might might have known more than what she was letting on, but she decided to wait to get to know Mikako a little better before she asked any questions.

“Haha! fortunately, I only get to take care of the boiler today, so hopefully I won’t have to go into the basement again anytime soon.”

“Let’s hope, Haha!  Oh! Here’s Cerberus’ breakfast.  You can take it to him outside.”

‘This is his breakfast?!’  In the dog bowl, it was a big, juicy, medium-rare cooked steak, perfectly warm after being on the skillet.

“Wow!  I feel like this dog eats better than I do!”  Leona explained.

“He is rather spoiled.  He can be rather mean so do be careful when you give it to him.  However, you should be fine since he only seems hostile towards males.”

“Actually, I kind of made a bad impression on him yesterday, since I tried to hop the fence in order to get in here.”

Mikako sighed.  “Oh dear, maybe I should take the food out to him instead.”

“Please don’t worry about it!  I can handle dogs like him so I’ll be fine.  Also this is the least I could do for you after you’ve helped me feel better yesterday.  Consider this as my thank you.”

Mikako blushed and then smiled at Leona’s words. “If you insist.  And you’re welcome, They can be rather harsh on the newcomers, but considering that the Mistress has taken a fondness to you, you should be out of the woods now.  Anyway Leona, once you’re done taking care of Cerberus your breakfast will be waiting here on the table.”

“Thanks, Mikako!  Oh, and you can call me Leo all my friends do and I hope we can become friends too.”

Mikako looked kind of surprised.  It looks as if this woman hasn’t really had a single friend in a long, long time.

Mikako smiled and said, “Thank you, I hope so too.”

Leona took the steak and left Mikako to cooking the breakfast.

When Leona went outside to the courtyard she noticed Cerberus was laying outside his dog house and he wasn’t chained up either.

The moment Leona stepped forward his ears perked up and he immediately started growling and stood in a defensive stance.

She knew that even though he knew she was a woman, he also knew that something wasn’t really normal about her, that she wasn’t exactly human.

Leona glared at the dog, she wasn’t really a dog person to begin with but now her dislike for them had increased thanks to this ungrateful mongrel!  His growling and barking continued and it was really starting to get on Leona’s nerves.

Fortunately, she knew a way on how to fix it!

“What an ugly sound…”  Leona flashed her eyes open and instead of the shimmering blue, her eyes were vampiric red.

The dog whimpered and backed down once she showed her eyes to him.

“That’s more like it.”

Leona carelessly dropped the doggie dish right in front of cerberus, and went back inside the house.

“Hmph, mach monkeys are better anyway.” Leona said under her breath.

When Leona entered the foyer Sachie was waiting for her with an excited look on her face.

“Leo!  I saw the whole thing!  How did you get him to lie down like that?  Holy crap! The look on his ugly mug! It made him look like he just got castrated!  Even with women, he can get too excited and can’t get him to behave.”

Leona’s heart nearly stopped.  Thank heavens, Sachie didn’t notice her eyes changing color.  It would have been difficult to explain that to her. And since Sachie isn’t the type to keep secrets she would probably blab to everyone she had the all-seeing-eyes of the gods as well as the fact she is a blood breed!

Leona thought up an excuse.  “What can I say? I just have a way with animals I guess!”

“Hmmm you really are a gem, aren’t you?  I think we are going to become the best of friends here!  Come on, let’s get some breakfast!”

While Leona wasn’t too fond of Sachie, she did seem to hold a pretty vast wealth of info on the Mamiyas so having a companion like her could prove to be useful.

“Will the family be joining us for breakfast too?”  Leona asked.

“Hmmm the mistress and Kyouichi will perhaps, but Markia tends to sleep in till noon, and Marisa rarely eats anything in the morning.  Breakfast and lunch is pretty informal here. Mostly everyone eats their lunch in their own rooms. Dinnertime is the only meal where everyone is present and arrives at seven on the dot.  Once breaktime starts, you’re free to get anything from the kitchen. Mikako will even offer to make lunch for you.”

“That sound great!”

Leona and Sachie went into the dining room where the mistress was already sitting at the head of the table. She wasn’t dressed for the day yet and was still in her nightie.  She was wearing a pink see-through negligee, that almost looked like the one that Leona had in her room, only this one looked nicer. Makoto was pouring her a hot cup of coffee and Kyouichi was sitting at the right hand of his mother. 

“Ah, Good morning Leona!”  The mistress says excitedly.

“Good morning Madame.”  Leona responded to Marie’s greeting politely.

“I hope you slept well last night?”

“Yes I did!”

“I trust the room is to your liking?”

“Yep, it’s suits me just fine.”

“Wonderful, but please, don’t stand on ceremony.  Come sit next to me, Mikako makes such a lovely breakfast!”

Leona guessed she really is the mistress’ favorite considering she wanted Leona to sit right next to her.  She took her seat at the left of Marie, and noticed that she was sitting right across from Kyouichi.

“Good morning, Master Kyouichi.”  Despite him being a rude little brat, Leona didn’t want to appear impolite in front of a Mamiya family member so she greeted him as nicely as possible.”

Kyouichi took one look at her, huffed and then went back to his breakfast.

The mistress sighed, “Please forgive him Leona, he can be a little moody in the mornings.”

“Oh it’s no problem, not everyone is a morning person.”

“Haha!  Aren’t we all?  Now then Mikako told me, while you were out feeding the dog you had quite a bit of fright in the basement, yes?”

Leona suspected that Mikako was just a concerned supervisor looking out for her junior.

“It wasn’t anything too bad,  It was probably just an old pipe or something.”

The mistress looked a little suspicious for a moment, but smiled.

“So I suspected, this mansion is very old so of course we do have the odd noise here and there.  I was worried you would get too scared of the basement.”

“I was a tad frazzled at first, but I’m fine, I’ve seen scarier stuff in Hellsalem’s Lot, trust me.”

“That’s good, I do plan to have you do some important work in the basement soon as part of your main job here.  However, that’s for another day. Since today is your first official day as our new maid, you will mostly being some small miscellaneous tasks to help get you settled in your job.  Also, the applicants will be arriving some time this morning so keep an eye for them.”

Leona hoped she didn’t have to go into the basement again, but if there really is someone in the basement she and Libra needed to know if they are responsible for the disappearances.

“Of course, ma’am.”

Mikako came out and set the breakfast plate before Leona.  Her meal consisted of two eggs cooked sunny side up, three sausages, a salad and buttered toast.

Marie was right, Mikako did serve a great breakfast.  Although Leona wasn’t at all surprised because of how great last night’s dinner was!

Leona got right into her eggs and salad.  She then washed it down with her glass of milk.  Even though she didn’t need to eat this it was still nice to have some solid food in the morning.

Before Leona came to the mansion, Klaus wanted to give her a good portion of his blood first.

“ _ You’re going to need your strength when you get there, mein schatz.”  _

Klaus gave her a bit more than her usual pint, but since it was her first solo mission he wanted her to go in fully charged.  Plus, Steven and Klaus didn’t want her to feed off of anyone in the mansion unless it’s an emergency. If one of them notices the bite marks they’d get suspicious.

Leona was full of energy but she couldn’t deny that this breakfast was out of this world!

However, as she finished her eggs she was feeling a little funny,  She felt that the room was getting a tad warmer.

Kyouichi had finished his breakfast before Leona did. But was called for Mikako’s assistance.

“Mikako!  I’m getting thirsty.  I want some milk.”

Mikako was getting fidgety but she obeyed the young master’s orders.

“Very well, Master Kyouichi.”

Leona was confused.  Kyouichi had a half-full glass of milk standing right in front of him. So why did he need to ask for another glass?

But then, Kyouichi laid on Mikako’s lap.  And then all of sudden she unhooked her bra and removed Kyouichi’s underwear. Soon enough, his manhood flopped right out the black briefs.

“Here you go, Master Kyouichi.  Nice and fresh just for you.”

Kyouichi then closed his eyes as his lips came into contact with her nipple.

Leona nearly spat out her own beverage at the weird sight!

‘WHAT….THE ACTUAL...FUCK!?’ Leona thought to herself.

‘This was way too bizarre!  Kyouichi, who is a seventeen year old young man, still drinks breast milk at his age!?  What the hell!?’

The mistress just continued with her breakfast and treated this strange spektakle like this was an everyday occurance!

While Leona didn’t want to pry she couldn’t help but ask, “Um, Mistress...What are they doing?  Mikako doesn’t really produce breast milk at her age right?”

Marie still looked indifferent.  “Oh yes, she does.”

Leona was shocked. ‘How can she sound so casual about this!?’

“How?  She isn’t pregnant is she? And her son is already a young adult.”

The mistress decided to elucidate the situation for her.

“No, Mikako isn’t pregnant.  The drugs we put in the food causes her breasts to produce milk.  She has to get rid of the milk every few days, otherwise her breasts will get sore and cause her problems. And of course, Kyouichi insists on her drinking breast milk. I can produce milk as well and I could feed him myself, but it would be rather embarrassing to breastfeed my own son at his age.”

‘Well, you certainly don’t seem embarrassed by your son being fed by Mikako, Lady!’ Leona thought.

“Oh and your food has the same drugs too.” The mistress says casually.

Leona nearly choked on her breakfast, “What!?”  Leona really, really, did NOT want to produce breast milk! But of course it makes sense as to why she felt warm all over.

“Oh don’t worry, the side effects of drugs vary from person to person, so your breasts shouldn’t produce any milk...maybe...possibly.”

That didn’t really give Leona any comfort.  She was brought out of her panic by Kyouichi’s whimpers.

“Mmm….mommy.”

Leona could feel her cheeks heating up, this was getting waaaaaay to weird.  It was clear to her that Kyouichi had more than a few mommy issues and considering how kind and maternal Mikako is, she was the only woman who could fill that void, since the Mistress seemed rather emotionally detached from her kids.

Leona did feel kind of bad for him, but not too much since he is still a sadistic little freak like his sister.

Getting very uncomfortable, Leona shoveled the rest of her breakfast into her mouth, and decided to get on with her morning duties, which was very convenient since Sachie looked like she was done with her meal too.

“Well, I’m full.  I’m going to get on with my work now.”

“Very good!  Remember to keep an eye out for the applicants alright?”

“Yes Ma’am!”

Sachie and Leona went outside the dining room and out to the foyer.  Leona decided to voice her concerns over what went down in the dining room between Kyouichi and Mikako.

“What the fuck just happened!?”  Leona shouted at Sachie when they were out of earshot from the dining room.

“Yeah, that’s an everyday thing for them.  Despite Kyouichi being the little snot that he is, deep down he’s an attention starved little boy.  He just wants the love he never truly got from his mother so he uses Mikako as well as other older women to fill that void.  As sad as it is, it’s still fucking twisted.”

Leona felt sick to her stomach, she knew this family was fucked up and all, but come on!

She really didn’t want to think about it anymore so she asked Sachie what she should do for the remainder of the morning.

“Well, since the Mistress has asked you to keep an eye out for the newbies, why don’t you go sweep the garden?  All you have to do is clear away any stray leaves and twigs out from the path way to the mansion. If you finish your task before they get here, come find me and i’ll give you something else to do.”

“Fair enough, i’ll get right on it!”

Leona took the broom from sachie and got outside.  It was a very pleasant day out! There were only a few stray clouds up in the sky but it was nearly clear.  Leona got to work on the garden while enjoying the sunshine. Despite the craziness that happens inside the mansion, just being out here in the garden and away from everyone felt really nice.

‘I wonder how everyone in Libra, is doing right now?’ Thought Leona.

She knew it was only one day, but looking out into the mountains made her miss the usual hustle and bustle outside her window when she wakes up every morning.  The property was just so isolated that it was far too quiet!

She missed her mornings at Libra.  And while Zapp’s pervy antics did get annoying every now and then, it was tame compared to the disgusting display she saw at breakfast this morning!

But most of all, she missed Klaus.  When she was with him, the world just felt right.

Leona looked out into the distance. “I really do hope you’re doing okay, Klaus.”

She knew Gilbert would keep his promise that he would prevent any ulcers from occurring, but she knew how much of a worry-wart Klaus can be sometimes.  

Leona was still wondering what his reaction was when he reviewed that tape!  And just by how beyond strange breakfast was, she knew that things were only going to go downhill from here.

Leona was just about to finish up the yard work when she heard a vehicle pull up in front of the gate.  From afar she could see to people coming out of the taxi.

A young man and woman just about her age.

The young man Looked like an average joe with black hair and brown eyes, and medium sized build, but was still considerably taller than her.  Just about 5’11 inches tall. He wore a white t-shirt with black short sleeves, jeans, sneakers and was only carrying a backpack with him. To be honest, he didn’t really looked like he was properly prepared for a job interview.

The young woman was about few inches shorter than he was but still taller than Leona.  She had brown hair worn in ponytail braids, green eyes, wore oval shaped glasses, she wore a white blouse with black cuffs, a bolo tie, a short denim skirt, white stockings, black loafers and carried a rolling suitcase.  She, on the other hand looked more prepared than the boy! 

However, her most noticeable feature was her giant bust!

‘Seriously, what’s with the big tits around here!?  Is the Catskills well known for their women and their gigantic goodies or something!?’ Leona internally ranted.

Leona swore, Zapp would pretty much be in boob heaven if he was here in her place!

They looked pretty confused,  She guessed they couldn’t find a way in just like she did yesterday. 

She knew that these two were the new applicants but if they step foot onto the mansion grounds the Mamiyas are going to eat them alive!

‘Wait!  Just as the goddess said, I have changed fate so many times.  I can just tell them to leave! That way, they won’t have to put up with the bullshit around here!’

Leona went up to the gate to greet the couple.

“Hello!  Do you live here? We can’t seem to get in.”  The young man called out to Leona.

“Um, kind of, I’m one of the maids on staff here.”  Leona said meekly.

“We’re here for our interviews for the servants position.”  The young lady in the glasses explained.

‘Yep, they’re the ones alright.’ Leona thought with dread.

She had to think fast!  She needed to tell them to leave right away otherwise they’re going to get hurt!

“Uh, are you okay?  You’re staring at us rather intesley and no offense it’s kind of creepy.’

Leona was snapped out of her thoughts.  ‘Well, we're off to a great start aren’t we!’

“Listen, you guys really need to get away from this place, now.”

They both looked shocked at Leona’s words. 

The girl answered.  “But our cab just left!”

“And both our cell phones are out of service. We can’t just call another one to pick us up!  Not only that we came all this way for this gig. We can’t leave now!”

This wasn’t going to be easy.  “Listen to me! This job isn’t what you think it is!  If you stay here, they’re going to-”

* _ beep beep beep _ *  Her bracelets’ alarm just went off.

Leona took a gulp and pressed the button to answer the incoming call.

“H-hello…”

“Leona, are you finished cleaning the garden yet?”  Asked the mistress.

“Yes, it’s all done, Miss.”

“Good.  I’m seeing two people outside the gate, are they the applicants?”

Leona felt a drop of sweat crawl down the spine of her back.  The mistress could see them from outside her office.  In that moment Leona felt a sense of dread around her body.  Like a cold and clammy hand that clenched around her beating heart and the feeling of oxygen being forcibly sucked from her lungs that she found it difficult to breath.

“Leona, are they the applicants or not?”  The mistress was getting impatient.

She took in a shaky breath and said, “yes, they are here for their interviews,”

“Excellent!  Please send them to the reception room at once...Oh! And Leona…”

There was a long pause.

“Please watch what you say around our guests will you?  We don’t want to scare them off, now do we?”

Leona gulped, “Understood, ma’am.”

And with that she beeped out.

‘Dammit!’  Leona thought. ‘It’s as if she knew what I was going to say!’

She was positive she would get them to leave, but it seems that won’t be the case now.  All she could do now was pray that they both flop the interview.

Leona opened the gate for the pair and they walked right onto the estate grounds.

“Please, right this way.”  Leona lead the both of them into the house.

The two applicants thanked her for letting them in and the introduced themselves.

“Thanks for opening the gate for us, it’s kind of weird they don’t even have an intercom.  My name is Yukito Sawatari by the way. It’s nice to meet you.”

“And my name is Yuuna Mitarai!”  The young woman sounded pretty excited.  Leona thought that she was probably just nervous.

“My name is Leona Watch, pleasure to meet you both.”  Leona tried to be polite but she was still worried for the two of them.

“Have you been working here long?”  Asked Yuuna.

“No, I actually just started here yesterday.”  Said Leona

“Oh cool, so I guess that will make you our senior then?”  Asked Yukito.

“...Perhaps.”  Leona really did hope that it didn’t happen.  But of course they would come here probably because of supposedly the great pay is.

“Even so, that wasn’t really funny, trying to scare us like that.” Said Yunna honestly.

“Yeah, do you guys like to pull that one on all the new potential employees?” Asked Yukito.

Leona wished it was just a sick prank, but they’d know just how twisted these people are during the interview.  Hopefully once they get to the physical exam part they’ll have the common sense to just leave.

Since Leona was on a mission she didn’t really have the luxury to do that.  But these guys do. 

‘I just hope these guys are smart enough that this place is a complete joke and they’ll realise that the money isn’t worth it.’

“Yeah, sorry about that, the family likes to keep the newbies on their toes.”

Leona wasn’t entirely wrong with that fact.  She was on high alert yesterday when she came in contact with Cerberus.

Leona thought it was best to warn them about the dog while they’re here

“Oh yeah! I should tell you,  The family keeps something of a guard dog around here.  From what I’ve been told he’s okay with women but can be pretty mean towards men.

“Oh I just love dogs!  I’m sure he’s just a big softie.”  Leona admired her optimistic attitude, but she’s worried about it being crushed once the interview starts.

Yukito on the other hand didn’t seemed to fazed by the information about Cerberus either.

“I had a few dogs in the past so I’m sure he won’t be too much of a problem.”

Speak of the devil, Cerberus came out from his doghouse to inspect the guests.

He immediately, bolted for Yuuna and was playing at being the good boy for her.  He sat down in front of her with his tail wagging with glee.

Yuuna gushed at the sight of him.  “Awwww he’s so cute! You’re not so scary at all are you?  What’s his name?”

“His name’s Cerberus.”

Yukito smiled, “Well, he isn’t the prettiest dog, but he seems friendly enough.”

As he tried to reach out to pet Cerberus, he growled and tried to bite him as his hand was drawing near.

“Gaah! Okay, maybe not so friendly.”

Leona was sympathetic towards the black haired man.  “Don’t worry about it. To be honest, he doesn’t really like me either.”

The moment Leona spoke up Cerberus took one look at her, started whimpering and ran back into his dog house.

“Wow! What was that about?  He looked pretty spooked there.”  Yunna said with some concern.

“Yeah!  What did you do to make him so afraid of you, exactly?”

Leona couldn’t tell them she used her vampiric eyes to bend him into submission.

“Eh, dogs in general don’t really like me all that much, mostly it’s because I’m not too fond of them either so it makes sense.”

Yuuna seemed pretty okay with that answer, but Yukito thought that answer didn’t really sit right with him, but then again, he did thought that Leona was a little weird anyway so he didn’t bother to question her.

Leona remembered the goddess told her that these two were meant to be together.  She wondered if they were already a couple?

“So umm, have you guys known each other long?  You guys friends, or are you two a thing perhaps?

Both of them blushed as she asked her questions.

“Oh, no no no no no!!! We actually just met today on the train!”  explained Yuuna.

“Ya um, it’s kind of funny really, I noticed she looked a little nervous and since there weren’t a lot of people on the train since we took the earliest one, Yuuna looked like she was practicing for the interview.  So, I asked her about that, and she then asked me if I’m taking a trip anywhere, and I told her that I’m going for a job interview too. Yuuna then asked if it was for a servant position, and I said yes! She told me she was heading here too!  Pretty cool huh?”

Leona thought it was a pretty amusing story and how well that scenario had played out like that.

“It was a pretty humorous coincidence!  Fate is a fickle mistress huh?” Asked Yuuna.

‘Oh, you have no idea, sister!’ Thought Leona.  To her fate seemed kind of liked a childish prankster.  But then again fate did give her some encouragement to do her well while she was on her assignment, so she didn’t really have the right to make fun of her that way.

“I really do think this job is a miracle!  When I found the advertisement that the Mamiya’s were hiring and was willing to pay $80,000 dollars to to work here for two weeks I called them straight away!”  Yuuna didn’t exactly hid her excitement that well.

However, what she said about the advertisement bothered Leona.  The outside was getting these ads too? But she also said that the family name was also on the ad, that’s really odd.

“I’m sorry but, correct me if I’m wrong, did you say you say the Mamiya name on the fyer?”

“Yes I did.” Explained Yunna.

“And what about you did you also see there name as well?”  Leona asked Yukito next.

“Yeah, I found one in a car magazine yesterday and I called the number as soon as I read about the great pay.  Why do you ask?” 

“It’s just when I found the ad myself, it didn’t say the last name, like at all.  All it said was the job description and the phone number.”

“Maybe it was just an error?” Asked Yuuna.

“I’m not sure, another friend showed me the same advertisement himself, and it looked the same as mine.”  Explained Leona.

“Maybe the designs are different based off of different regions New York and other states.  Where are you from anyway?” asked Yukito.

“I’m from Hellsalem’s Lot.”

“HELLSALEM’S LOT!!??”  They both yelled.

“Geez!  It’s not that unusual is it?” Asked Leona.

“Kind of, yeah!  I think you’re the first person we’ve met who is actually from Hellalem’s Lot!  Holy crap, that place must be wild! What’s it like?”

“Is it Dangerous?”

“How many weird creatures have you met?”

“Are all the landmarks the same even after the great collapse?”

“How have you survived this long?”

Leona was constantly being bombarded with questions that it was starting to become overwhelming to her.  Although she shouldn’t be too surprised. She was sure that anyone from the outside who hasn’t been to Hellsalem’s Lot after the great collapse of New York City were bound to be curious and would have lots of questions.

“Woah, woah, one at a time okay!  As for it being dangerous, there are some danger but it’s not so bad, you just have to develop your sixth sense for trouble if you want live there.  I have met quite a few beyondians and some of them are even my closest friends. I have had more than a few close calls, and when I first moved there I was barely getting by, but I’ve managed just fine and I’m doing pretty well.  I’ve had a few good jobs, made plenty good friends and I even have a boyfriend back home too. But enough about me, we should really get the reception room. We don’t want to keep Lady Mamiya waiting.

As they walked to the front door Leona asked if they had heard any weird rumors about the Mamiyas before they came here.  Yukito mentioned that their cab driver told them a few weird stories about them. Mostly about the sharecropping, loan sharking, and that they were a bunch of excentrics As well as the part about they were demons disguised as humans.  Pretty much the same stuff that Klaus told Leona.

“He wasn’t exactly the sympathetic type, to be honest.  He was kind of like one of those weird people you would see in horror movies that would say ‘turn back, turn back!’ to the would be victims once they head to the haunted house.”  Yukito did seem rather frazzled by what the cab driver had told them.

Yuuna on the other hand, “he did say some weird things, but they’re just rumors.  And I try not to take rumors to seriously. And besides, when you live up here in such an isolated place people are bound to come up with exaggerated stories to scare the tourists.”

‘Heh, and I thought I was naive.” Leona thought to herself.  Yuuna and Yukito had no idea how true those stories are. However, they did not get the jobs yet, and there is a possibility that the mistress may not hire them.

Once they were inside, the pair were immediately awestruck by how big the foyer was, It was the same reaction that Leona had yesterday.  However, considering that this house is owned by a bunch of sick fucks, the glamour has worn off for Leona. Sachie came by to see the three of them at the entrance.

“Hey Leo, are these the applicants the mistress was talking about?”

“Ya we just arrived a few minutes ago, I’m Yukito Sawatari.”

“And I’m Yuuna Mitarai, pleasure to meet you.”

Both of them shook Sachie’s hand.  However, Sachie was staring at them like pieces of meat.  It was kind of the same when she first looked at Leona.

“Hmmm…..Well at least you guys are pretty good looking, so I think you’ll be fine.”

‘’Way to point out the obvious, ya dummy!’ Leona thought.

Of course Sachie was referring to Yuuna’s huge breasts.  They were kind of impossible to ignore. As for Yukito, while he wasn’t effeminate as Makoto, he was fairly good looking, In a boy bandish sort of way.   

Sachie left Leona to take them to The mistress’ office on her own.

On the way to the reception room Leona felt conflicted.  She already tried to tell them to leave when they were at the gate but they thought it was a joke.  She wondered, if she should ask the pair about their sexual history, like how Sachie asked Leona about hers’.  However, Leona wasn’t as brash as Sachie nor was she used the place yet since this was only her second day at the estate.

In the end, Leona decided it was best if she kept her mouth shut.  The both of them were very intent on getting the job.

‘They’ll find out soon enough.’ Leona thought to herself.

Leona, Yukito and Yuuna stop at the door to the reception room.

Leona takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Leona ma’am, I’ve brought the applicants.”

“Send them in please.”

Leona opened the door and let the pair into the office first.

The mistress stood up from her desk with a smile on her face and arms open.

“Hello!  Welcome, welcome, we’ve been expecting the both of you. Please, make yourselves comfortable.  Someone will come up here with tea shortly.”

Leona was about to vomit with how phony and too sickly sweet her greeting was.  Mostly because it reminded her of how the mistress had greeted her when she did her interview.  Not wanting to stay longer than she should, she was about to leave but the mistress had other ideas. 

Oh Leona!  Don’t go yet, I’ll need your help with their assessment.”

‘Of course you do, you sick bitch.’

Leona wasn’t happy to stay.  She really didn’t want to relive the same experience she had yesterday.  And if these two were virgins as the goddess had told her, she didn’t want to know what the mistress had in store for them.  Despite how uncomfortable and wrong the interview felt to Leona it was still fairly tame. With these guys, who knows?

Leona, obeyed her orders from the mistress and stood in the corner like Mikako did yesterday.

As soon as Leona went to the corner Mikako knocked and came in with tea for the guests.  There wasn’t any doubt in her mind that the tea was drugged like hers was yesterday.

The two applicants sit on the fancy sofa.  Leona guessed the mistress wanted to interview both of them at once rather than interview one and then the other.  Leona wasn’t surprised since the drugs made her so weak she passed out after the so called “physical exam” and couldn’t leave the reception room for three hours.

“This is pretty much going to be a standard interview.  Even though you are both here I will interview you guys one at a time.  This way I can compare the both of you to see who will get the job. However, it’s a high possibility that I will hire both of you since we do need all the help we can get.  I really would like to consider keeping you, Yukito. We are really short on men here and we do need someone who can handle the more of the heavy lifting around the house. While Leona is capable of doing both the men and women’s work, her main job is going to be a bit different compared to what you two will be doing if you get the positions.  Anyway, shall we move on with the interview? I know that it is customary to have the lady go first, but how about we let you go first instead, Yukito?”

The young man looked to Yuuna to see if she was okay with going after him.  She smiled and nodded her head, indicating he can do his interview first.

“Okay ma’am, I’m ready when you are.”  Yukito sat up straight and at attention, ready for whatever question she had for him.

“Wonderful!  Now, it says on your resume that you are a college student yes?”

“Yes, I’m studying English Lit, at school.”

“Oh!  Are you studying to be a writer perhaps?”

“Kind of, I’m not to sure with what I want to do after I graduate, but maybe I’ll go into journalism or write articles for a magazine in the future.”

“That’s quite a coincidence, our Leona is studying photography and wishes to pursue photojournalism after graduation.  Isn’t that right dear?”

“That’s true m’am.” said Leona meekly.

The mistress looked back to Yukito.  “You did write down reading as your main hobby, so it’s obvious you would major in English Lit.  Have you done any work similar to this one before you came here?”

He rubbed the back of is neck, “Not, really no, although I did work in an auto shop before, and I do have my drivers licence.”

Marie sighed, “That’s a shame, before my husband passed away we did have a driver that would take us where we needed to go.  But these days we don’t really need a driver. Most of the supplies and groceries are delivered here, and on the rare occasion we do go out we mostly just hire a limousine service.”

Leona wasn’t to surprised, considering the Mamiyas had left their companies in the hands of corporate officials they don’t really need to go outside the mansion grounds.  And with delivery services as well as car services it makes it all the more convenient for them. 

Leona was feeling somewhat relieved.  This interview isn’t entirely going well for Yukito, so if he flunks the preliminary interview, then he’ll have to be sent home, and she’ll just have Yuuna to worry about.

“Bsides reading, are there other hobbies that you partake?  Do you play a sport, skilled with an instrument, draw, or cooking perhaps?”

Yukito stopped to think for a moment.  “Hmm, I did play soccer back in high school.  These days I mostly do some light, weight lifting in my workouts.  I’ve never played an instrument before, only the recorder back when I was in grade school.  And I only know how to cook pasta and burgers.”

“Hmmm….Well at, least you do have something of workout routine.  For the men, they mostly have the more intensive, manual work that needs to be done around here.  When they’re hired they realize to late that they’ve bitten off more than they can chew. Are you sure you are up the task?”

“Yes ma’am!  What I lack in strength, I make up for in resilience!”

Leona had the strong urge to facepalm.  She honestly, didn’t know whether this guy was just incredibly determined or incredibly stupid!

‘Heh, kind of reminds me of Zapp.’ Leona thought to herself.

“Haha, I like your attitude!  Fortunately, you do have some skills that will be useful for some of the mechanical work around here.  This house is very old, and some of the plumbing and appliances do need to be tended to. Well, I certainly don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t hire you.”

“All right!” Yukito shouted with glee.

‘Crap’ thought Leona.

“Now, now.  You’ve only passed the preliminary part, we still have Yuuna to interview next.”

“Ah, right, sorry about that.”

The mistress gave him a sweet smile, “Alright, dear let’s move on to you shall we?”

Yuuna immediately shot up from her seat, and bowed her waist.

“Before we start the questions, please!  I really hope you will consider hiring me!  When I found out that the position paid well, I knew that it was fate that brought me here!”

Leona was surprised.  This girl was really hellbent on getting this job.

‘I wonder what she need the money for?’

The mistress looked shocked to, but she decided to hear her out.

“Hmm, it sounds like there’s a story behind your plea.  Care to elucidate?”

“You see, I really need the money.  It’s not for me, but for my brother.”

Leona’s eyes opened wide. ‘She has a little brother? Just like I do!’

“He’s had severe liver disease for a while now.  The doctors have done all they could to treat him, but he’s going to need a liver transplant as soon as possible.  If he doesn't get one soon, he’ll only have about six months left to live. However, the surgery isn’t covered by our insurance, and my parents have been working their butts off to gather the money that’s necessary to pay for my brother’s medical bills.  They run a french restaurant, but since it isn’t really well known, we don’t make whole lot of money. Even if my parents sold the shop it still wouldn’t be enough to cover the cost of the surgery. So I decided to help pitch in too! Eighty grand will be more than enough to cover his operation!  I really do think this job is truly a gift from the heavens! So please! Find it your heart to hire me!”

Yuuna’s story resonated with Leona a great deal.  No wonder she sounded so desperate! If Leona was in her position she would have done the same thing to help her brother.  Leona knew that the money would help her family out a lot, but still, this job just wasn’t meant for someone as purehearted as Yuuna!

The mistress wiped the mist from her eyes. “Oh, I’m such a sucker for this sort of thing!  Let’s see what you’ve got first alright? I know you mentioned your family owns a restaurant from what you’ve told me, so I’m guessing you know how to cook?”

Yuuna sat down on the sofa.  “Yes, I can. My mother taught me how to cook since I was about twelve years old.  I even help out my parents with the store too.”

“Ah, I see you have cooking down in your resume!  I have grown a little bored with Mikako’s cooking lately and I think it would be nice for us to have some french dishes every once in a while.  Tell me Yuna is cooking something you would like to pursue as a career?”

“Yes.  That’s actually what I am studying in college right now.  I would like to become a chef to help my parents out with the restaurant, and who knows, maybe i’ll open up my own one day.”

“You really have your future planned out, haven’t you?  I really admire people like you and Leona who know what they want to do in life.”

Yukito looked somewhat dejected.  Even though he kinda knows what he wants to do he’s still rather unsure what he truly desires after graduation.  Not only that Yuna and Leona have more experience than he does. Yukito probably feels somewhat embarrassed that he is being upstaged like this.  In fact, Leona doesn’t really know what he wants to do with the money once he’s earned it. Even though Leona isn’t here for the money, she’s using her cover as a college student to use it to help with college tuition. (Even though Leona is no longer in school.)

Yuuna is using her share to help her brother get the surgery that he needs, but with him she doesn’t know.

The mistress gave their resumes back and clasped her hands together.

“Well, this is looking very promising indeed!  I say you both pass the preliminary interview, while Yuuna will be superior in the kitchen than Yukito, he will still be the right amount of muscle that we need around here.”

‘Double crap!’ Leona thought to herself. ‘Now comes the tricky part.’

“Now then, shall we move onto the physical exam?”

The two applicants looked at each other in confusion. “I’m sorry, did you just say a physical exam?”

“Yes, I need to do an assessment to make sure you to are healthy enough to work here.  This job requires a lot of manual work, and we need good bodies in order to get them done.  I will just ask you two a few simple questions and do small check ups, does that sound okay?”

Yukito and Yuuna were silent for a short time, until he decided to speak up first.

“Uh, yeah sure.  That sounds fair.”

“Of course, whatever needs doing.”

A wicked smirk formed on the mistress’ face.  “Excellent! But before we get to the questions...Would you two kindly strip for me?”

Leona sighed, ‘here we go again.’ 


	8. Chapter 8

Zed was at Diane’s Diner, staring into his mug of coffee.  His mind was still in a daze after what he saw in the evidence footage that Leona captured last night.  

‘The Mamiyas are truly insane!  What kind of interview was that?!  I think my fears are officially warranted as to why Leona shouldn’t have gone!’

However, Zed knew that this is what Leona chose.  She wanted to do this mission not just to help a friend but to know where the victims are and help bring them home.  It’s clear that the family holds Leona in a high regard because of her knowledge of beyondians since she’s lived in Hellsalem’s Lot for a short while now.

But that footage...He learned things about Leona and Klaus’ intimate life that he really didn’t want to know about!  He knew that he and the rest of the men of Libra went out to talk about sexual intimacy awhile ago, but he still felt awkward about it.  Zed wasn’t the type to blab about his bedroom activities Like Zapp does and neither is Klaus. To be honest, he was dreading going to the office after breakfast this morning.  Not only will Steven and Klaus give him a briefing about what happened in the video that day, but he’ll have to face Klaus after Leona had been forced to spill her guts about her sex life on that tape!  He was grateful that Steven decided to let Zed off of evidence reviewing duty, but at the same time he still wants to know what that twisted family will do to Leona? He knows Leona is a strong individual, she faced worse than what that family could ever do to her, but still...  

“Hey, are you trying to see into the future through your coffee?  Trust me honey i’ve tried, it doesn’t work.”

Zed was taken out of his daze by the voice of his girlfriend.

“Oh! Vivian.  Sorry about that, I guess I kind of got lost in thought there for a minute.”

“It was more like ten minutes, Webster.”

Zed sighed, “I guess I’ve had a lot on my mind lately.”

Vivian suddenly leaned over the counter, place her elbows on the tabletop and put her face in her hands.  She then gave Zed these cute doe eyes that never failed to make his heart turn to melted butter.

She says in a very cutesy voice, “wanna talk about it?~”

Zed wasn’t sure how to answer that question.  He doesn’t really have the option to talk about Libra and he certainly couldn’t tell his girlfriend that her best gal pal is on an undercover mission to find the missing citizens of Hellsalem’s Lot who are apparently being held prisoner by a group of sexually depraved nymphomaniacs!

So he decided to go with the half truth instead.  “Well, i’ve been kind of worried about Leona since she left for her business trip.  I just hope she’s taking care of herself and that she’s safe and all.”

Vivian stood up, “Oh Yeah!  Leona did mention to me that the company you guys work at are sending her away for two weeks out in the countryside, right?  However, she didn’t tell me why. I’m guessing it’s a classified trip?”

“Yes, and I’m afraid I can’t tell you either.  It’s just company protocol, sorry.”

Vivian just smiled and shrugged it off.  “Hey, it’s cool. That’s just way things are, right?  Plus, I wouldn’t worry too much about Leo. She’s a big girl and she knows how to handle herself.  Sure I sometimes tend to worry about her diet, but I know she keeps it balanced somehow. Otherwise she wouldn’t be the curvy cutie we all know and love.”

Zed was glad that Vivian believed in Leona.  He wished he could have same level of belief she had.

Vivian could still see the worry on his face and decided to give him his breakfast.  It was a short stack of pancakes with scrambled eggs on the side.

“Come on, you don’t want to get to work without eating a hearty breakfast first.”

She then leaned over the counter again and gave him a peck on the lips.  And gave him her second famous, bedroom eyes.

“And stop worrying.”  

Zed blushed, but gave her a smile.  “Thanks, Viv.”

“We still on for tonight?”  Vivian asked.

“Certainly.”

She gave him a kiss on the cheek.  “I get off at eight. now come on, eat your breakfast ya doofus!  You don’t wanna be late.”

Zed really is the luckiest fishman alive to have a supportive girlfriend like her.

 

Zed went back to Libra headquarters and found the main group already there, awaiting any missions that needed to be done.  Even though he found it awkward to be around Klaus, he still needed to briefed on the rest of the video from last night. However, when he approached Klaus, something was a bit off.  Klaus didn’t seem too focused like he usually was. Even though he was at his laptop typing away, he was only going at a snail's pace. And upon further inspection, noticed that behind the glasses, his eyes had dark circles underneath.

Zed took a wild guess that he didn’t really sleep well after watching the video.

‘This might be worse than I thought.’

However, Zed plucked up his courage and tried to be polite to his superior with a proper morning greeting.

“Good morning, Klaus.  Um, h-how are you?”

Klaus stopped what he was doing and looked at Zed.  He gave him a look like someone pissed in his cereal!  

Zed was about to back off when Klaus said, “I’m afraid I’ve had better mornings, but thank you for asking.”

Even though Klaus was gentle as ever, Zed would be lying if he said he didn’t think that Klaus’s intense appearance when distressed made him feel a tad nervous.

“Um, so about the briefing?”  Zed asked anxiously.

“About that…” entered Steven with his mug of coffee.

“Klaus and I are going to brief everyone on what we saw last night in those tapes.  If you could sit with the others, please?”

Zed took his seat right next to chain.  Zapp and K.K. also had their attention. If the topic was about Leona’s mission they needed to know.  Klaus and Steven weren’t the only ones who felt anxious. Even though they all decided to give their consent to Leona’s decision to go to the Catskills, not knowing what was going on with Leona made everyone on edge, even Zapp.  It’s true that he believed in her the most and gave Leona the encouragement she needed, he’d probably be lying if he said he wasn’t one-hundred percent fine with the situation.

“Finally!  I’ve been dying to know what happened yesterday!”  K.K. said impatiently.

“Is she safe?  Did she pass the interview?” Asked, Chain

“You reviewed the tape along with Chief and Steven right, fishcake?”

Zed blushed, he really didn’t want to talk about what he saw in the tape!

Steven whistled to get everyone’s attention.

“You’ll be free to ask your questions after we’ve discussed the topic at hand.  Now then, Klaus you have the floor.”

Klaus pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at the report in his hands.

“Thank you Steven.  Regarding Leona’s mission yesterday was fairly tame.  She managed to infiltrate the mansion without fail and the lady of the house was quite impressed with her resume and past experiences that she was hired immediately after the interview.”

Everyone took a sigh of relief.

“I guess we underestimated her, huh?” Said K.K.”

“It sound like Leona knows what she was doing.” Explained Chain.

“Never doubted her for a second!” Said Zapp with pride.

However, Zed knows that, despite how mild yesterday was there were a few bumps in the road. And Klaus knows that too.

Klaus loosened his tie.  Now comes the tricky part.

“Yes well, despite the fact she managed to get in without fail, that doesn’t mean she had a few troubles along the way.  She did have a problem with passing the gate. She did try to climb over it first and then she would explain her situation afterwards, but she was stopped by a guard dog.  She didn’t get hurt fortunately, but it’s clear that he is suspicious of her since she is a blood breed.”

Chain raised her hand, “But how do you know it thinks she’s a blood breed?  I mean, yeah she did unintentionally try to break in, so of course it wouldn’t trust her at first.”

Steven decided to interject this time. “That’s a good point.  However, when she met the dog’s owner, she mentioned that it is very friendly towards females so it probably would have warmed up to her after she’d hopped the fence.  And let’s not forget dogs are more perceptive than humans so he can easily tell that Leona isn’t exactly a normal woman.”

“We’re hoping that Leona won’t interact with it too much so we aren’t too worried about that.  As long as she isn’t near the dog she should be fine.”

“However, now we come to the servants as well as the actual members of the Mamiya household.” Explained Steven.

While they were burning the mp4s onto the DVDs Steven decided to take a few snapshots of the people Leona had met so far.  He took the photos from his breast pocket and handed them to chain so she can pass them around so everyone could see.

“The first one is Marisa Mamiya, a spoiled little princess by the very definition of the word.  She is eighteen years old and has a very unpleasant attitude. Just like her dog, Marisa is rather perceptive.  However, she is not that smart. She’s bound to be a pain in Leona’s ass but it doesn’t look like Marisa will pose an actual threat to her cover.”

“K.K. pouted.  “Hmph, such waste that those cute looks belong to someone with an ugly personality.”

“Tell me about it! She even looks like the haughty princess stereotype.” said Chain.

Klaus coughed to get everyone’s attention.

“Next, we have Sachie Asagiri.  She is the head maid for the Mamiya household.  She doesn’t appear to be too remarkable at first glance but considering she’s been in the Mamiya’s employ longer than the two week period she must have seen plenty of applicants come and go while living at the mansion for as long as she had.  Ms. Asagiri must have some information about the victim’s wearabouts if they are being held at the mansion or if they have gone somewhere else or if they are deceased.”

Zapp had the picture of Sachie and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

“Woah!  Is this the uniform they wear?!  Wait! Since Leona will be working there as a maid, and if she has to wear this uniform...Heh, heh heh…”

Chain then took this opportunity to hit him upside the head.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, you damn perv monkey!”

Zapp growled at Chain’s attack.  “Oh, come on! I’m one-hundred percent sure that Chief has had some perverted fantasies about his girlfriend in that outfit too!

Klaus’ face turned bright red.  “Wha! I-I most certainly have not!  I respect and love Leona too much to resort to fantasizing about her in a gaudy maid outfit like that!”

Zapp sneered, “HAH! Yeah right, I know you have dirty fantasies about her binding you to the bed and biting you all over your body!  And of course, I know that you wouldn’t mind her dominating you, while you guys are getting freaky!”

Chain and K.K. were surprised that Klaus even had sexual fantasies like that.  Because of how mild mannered he is they figured he’s just vanilla in bed. Who would have thought that he had a kinky side?

Suddenly the room felt cold.  Everyone was facing Steven, who was looking rather pissed now that they’ve gotten off topic.  The vein in his temple was visibly pulsing so that wasn’t a good sign.

“Everyone, there is a time and a place for this conversation later.  But for now, can we just focus please?”

Klaus thought he should treat Steven to a drink sometime to thank him for stopping Zapp from blabbing about his and Leona’s intimate activities to everyone.

“Thank you, Steven.  Now then, next we have Marika Mamiya.  She is the eldest of the Mamiya children and is about Leona’s age.  She is the opposite of her sister as she displays the utmost refined temperament that her sister surley lacks.  She is intelligent, beautiful, and has shown kindness towards Leona as the new maid so far. However, the kindness that she shows could be false so Leona should be cautious when she comes in contact with her in the days ahead.”

Zapp though that she was a total fox, but since he didn’t want to be reprimanded again he stayed silent.  But, he was pretty amazed at how amazingly hot these women are.

‘If these are the Mamiya daughters, I can only imagine what the head of the house looks like!’ Thought Zapp.

Steven proceeded with descriptions of the suspects.  “Next we have Mikako and Makoto Nonohara. A mother and son duo working at the Mamiya estate.  While Mikako is a maid she is in charge of cooking the meals for the Mamiyas and the servants. Her son is a regular male servant handling some of the more heavy duty work.  Why he’s there working with his mother we do not know yet. Mikako have been a servant for the Mamiyas for many years, possibly even longer than Ms. Asagiri. The reason as to why her son is working for the Mamiyas is unknown but we will probably know more about it as Leona continues her mission.  Next we have Kyouichi Mamiya. Who is the youngest of the Mamiya children. He has the same rotten personality as his sister, but he is rather antisocial so he won’t be an issue.”

Klaus then introduced the head honcho of the Mamiyas. “And lastly, we have Lady Marie Mamiya.  She is the current matriarch of the Mamiya household and is the widow of the late Mamiya patriarch.  As you can see, she is beautiful and alluring. However, underneath all that she is cunning, manipulative, and ruthless.  She displayed all those traits while Leona was doing the interview. And I have to say, that it was a far from normal interview.  You see, this job the Leona has taken is not a normal servant position. I fear that it is something much more sinister than that.  I don’t want to release too much information about what happened because in order for her to pass the interview...she had to talk about our relationship and about what we do in private.”

Chain was shocked, “Wait, wait, wait...are you saying she had to talk to these people about her intimate life with you?  Why!?”

K.K. knew her fear about Leona going were coming true. “What kind of people would ask a future employee’s personal life info for a job interview!?”

Klaus really didn’t want to answer that question because, honestly he was still just as confused as she was.

Steven decided to step in.  “We’ve known from the start that these people were going to be abnormal.  But they are mostly interested in Leona because of her knowledge about this city’s alterworld citizens. I mean think about it, why would they need someone with a decent amount of knowledge about the alterworld?  This is clearly a big clue that the Mamiyas are in on the disappearances. All Leona has to do now is find out where they are, and figure out why the Mamiyas are holding them hostage in the first place That is, if they are being held against their will at all.”

K.K. was still feeling unsure.  “Look, from what you have told us, these people are pretty messed up.  I’m mostly worried about what they might have Leona do if they show her they’ve been keeping the victims. The fact that you two are keeping a lot of the explicit information away from the rest of us makes this whole thing with Leona even more suspicious. Personally, I think we have the right to know what’s on those tapes rather than just get a recap.  We all want to know if Leona is really okay over there. I know I’m sounding like a helicopter mom here but, if you guys are going to be vague it’ll only make us more concerned.”

Klaus understood the consequences of withholding information from his own team.  It was never easy for him. However, this was all for Leona’s sake. He knew that she had already felt the awful feelings of humiliation when the mistress had inspected her most intimate areas.  Klaus felt the same shame, embarrassment, and pain when they forced her to strip out of her clothes. While Mikako was doing her best to be as gentle as she could, the removal of her personal hairs made Klaus cringe.  He can still hear her crying after the deed was done. He never wanted to see Leona in that situation again.

Klaus stood up from his seat.  “I know I am keeping the more the delicate parts of Leona’s mission away from all of you.  However, I want you to think how she would feel if all of you knew of what she is currently going through.  The Mamiyas were really digging into Leona’s intimate history as well as my own. She really wants to leave the past behind, and all of the questions were making her feel more and more uncomfortable.  If you really knew what when on in those tapes it would intrude on her privacy even more than the Mamiya’s already have. However, those parts will be for my eyes only and no, I will not ask her about them when she returns.  Our relationship is built not just of love, but of trust and emotional support for one another. If she wishes to talk about that is up to her. However, I refuse to put Leona in a situation where I demand answers from her of what went on in that place.  If I did that, then I would be no better than the Mamiyas. Steven and Myself will still keep you up to date on the important parts of her mission, but none of the personal. Do I make myself clear?”

Chain felt guilty after hearing Klaus’s words.  Because she is the invisible werewolf, she’s developed a habit on intruding on others conversations to get information when she’s out on assignment, be it with Libra or the Werewolf Bureau.  More than a few times she’s intruded on Klaus and Leona’s privacy when they thought they were alone. She even got caught once too, and she couldn’t look either of them in the eye for a while.

Chain looked at Klaus and said, “You’re right.  In fact, we may have treated your relationship as a soap opera when we really shouldn’t have.  We’re just really happy for the both of you and I guess we all just wanted to be part of that happiness as well.  However, this is different and we can’t treat Leona’s mission like some stupid reality show. People’s lives are at stake and we can’t treat this like a joke.  I am perfectly fine with just getting the meat of the information after you’ve reviewed the evidence tapes.”

Klaus smiled, “Thank you, Chain.”

Steven smiled too, he thought he may have also gotten a little too much into their relationship as well.  He was more than happy to talk to him about sexual intimacy and to give him some solid advice, but he sometimes forgets that Klaus is a big boy and he’s gotten more than a handle on his situation now.

“Is everyone else okay with that?” Steven asked.

Everyone agreed and the meeting was adjourned for the morning and everyone went off with their assigned duties for the day.

 

The day went by quickly, and before Klaus and Steven knew it, the disk drive was ready with the video recording Leona had captured with her eyewear cams.  Klaus requested only tea and coffee for himself and Steven while reviewing the footage. Even though yesterday’s video was tame Klaus and Steven found it difficult to keep their snacks down while getting to the uncomfortable parts.  Consuming only liquids while going over the tapes was probably the best thing to do considering Klaus’ delicate stomach.

“You ready Klaus?” Asked Steven.

“Only if you are.”

Klaus was a bit more nervous for this tape since today was Leona’s first official day on the job.  He did have confidence in her, but that interview was so bad he was terrified to what the Mamiyas would do to Leona.  And the afternoons just made him impatient and anxious for these videos. While he did want to know how Leona was doing, he was also afraid to know as well.  He hated feeling this way.

‘It’s almost as if I’m doubting my Leona.  However, I know that whatever they make her do, she will be brave through the trials ahead.  She has come a long way, and I believe in her. Afterall, she has to bear the labors of this mission while I’m just sitting here on the sidelines.  She truly is braver than I…”

Klaus shook his head, clearing it of any negative thoughts and to steady his nerves.  He started the video on the media player immediately.

Leona was pretty much starting her morning by washing up and getting dressed for her first day of work.  Since Leona is a blood breed and all, Klaus and Steven couldn’t see her reflection. So they may as well see a floating maid uniform, which was pretty funny.

Ms. Sachie came to wake up Leona but she was already ahead of her.  When they went downstairs Mikako and her son were already awaiting their arrival and greeted them a good morning.  

However, Mikako kindly asked Leona if she could feed the dog breakfast that morning.

Klaus and Steven were a bit worried about that since she was already on his bad side, but Leona offered to do so anyway.

Klaus suspected Leona wanted to pay Mikako back for taking care of her while she was incapacitated.

Once Leona was in the basement she got to work turning the boiler on.  It was a rather simple task which she got done within a few minutes. However, once all the lights were turned on there was a strange noise in the background.  Leona went to the other side of the basement where the noise was the loudest. Steven thought it was probably just an old pipe, But Klaus said that since she has better hearing than the both of them she suspects that it might be more than that.

The door was locked of course and the only way in was to use the four digit code on the pin pad.

“She’s looking at the pin pad for a long time.  Do you think she’s looking for the combination by using her eyes?”

“If there are any fingerprints on the pad she might be able to use the combination by figuring out from the thickest print to the thinest she’ll find her way in.”

Steven smiled, “clever girl.”

Leona stepped away and she said. “It’s perfectly clean…”

Klaus frowned. “Hmm...If they are going to extremes to clean the pad off so that way no one can find a way in, they must have something they’re desperately trying hide.”

“I agree, and I doubt most of the staff go into the basement to often, so the mistress and/or her daughters must be the only ones who knows the combination.”

Steven was cut off by the noise again, and it must have scared Leona pretty badly because she ran out of that basement as fast as she could.

Klaus felt a chill go down his spine.  That moan just a minute ago, it almost sounded too human to be just some old pipe.

“Steven, if that noise really did belong to a living being…”

Steven gulped, Klaus wasn’t the only one who felt a chill from that noise.  It really did sound like someone dying. “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.”

Once Leona was out of the basement Leona went to Mikako to get the dog’s food.  Which to be honest, looked way too extravagant for a mangy mongrel like Cerberus.  Leona did tell Mikako that the dog didn’t like her and Mikako offered to feed him in her place.  

However, Leona was too humble to accept that.  She was very grateful for making her feel more at home than her employers that she still wanted to help her out with this task.

Klaus smiled.  Even though Leona wouldn’t be one to admit it, she really did have the amazing ability to make friends as well as touching another’s heart due to her empathy.  Mikako seemed like a very sweet woman and would make a great ally for Leona. However, when Klaus looked into her eyes, he saw a deep sadness within them. He felt that Mikako’s situation was more than just money problems if her son is also involved.  However, this was a mystery that will be solved eventually.

Leona went outside and of course, the dog was not all too happy to see her.  He kept snarling at her even though she brought out a delicious steak for him to eat.  It would appear that this dog doesn’t know the meaning of loyalty or gratitude. However, considering that his owner raised him to be so spoiled, why would he?

“What an ugly sound…”  Leona sounded very menacing when she said those words.

All of a sudden the dog laid down and let out a cowardly wimper.

Steven was getting concerned.  “She may have used her eyes on the dog...I don’t know whether or not this will become a problem in the future.”

Klaus was concerned too but he knew Leona was smart and she made sure that no one was watching her.  Fortunately there was no one else besides her in the garden.

“I don’t think this will be too much of an issue.  And of course thanks to your training she will come up with a good lie if anyone asks.”

Steven sniffled, as he wiped away fake tears. “They grow up so fast…” he said as if he were a proud father when a child takes after his traits.

Klaus rolled his eyes.

However, when Leona went back to the house she must have overlooked the windows because apparently, Sachie was watching what went down from the inside.  Fortunately Leona’s back was facing the windows so Sachie probably didn’t see her eyes.

Just as Klaus had predicted, Leona was able to come up with an excuse as to what made the dog so afraid of her.  Sachie looked a bit suspicious at first but bought Leona’s little fib anyway.

“Leona may have gotten out of that one, but she should still be careful when she’s around that woman.  She may not be very smart, but she is still pretty perceptive. If it wasn’t for Leona’s back facing the other way Sachie would have found out about her special abilities.”

“I agree, Steven.  That was a close call and she needs to be a bit more careful.”

Leona and Sachie then went to the dining room for breakfast.

The mistress and her son were already at the table, and both of them were still in their sleepwear.  The mistress’ negligee didn’t leave much to imagination since it was see through. And her son was just in his undies and a tank top.

They thought it was just going to be a normal breakfast, that is until something happened.

The young man demanded some more milk from the maid but the thing was that he still had a glass of it on the table next to his plate.

What came next made Klaus and Steven’s jaws drop.  That young man who was about seventeen years old was breastfeeding from Mikako!

They heard Leona let out a small gasp and then the camera just went back to her breakfast plate.  She did take a few glances at them every now and again and who could blame her? It was like watching a train wreck!

Leona then asked what they were doing.  Apparently, the mistress had drugs put in the food that they eat, and sometimes the side effects vary from person to person.  Mikako is highly affected by them and they cause her to produce breast milk.

Klaus felt nauseous.  Even though he knew that Leona doesn’t have to eat, they would become suspicious if she decides not to partake too often while she’s there.  The thought that Leona could be affected by the drugs terrified him. She did get pretty weak from when they drugged her tea, so...

“Shit...Well, let's not panic yet Klaus.  Leona is a blood breed so hopefully they won’t affect her too much.  However, if Leona is experiencing any side effects we’ll make sure she’s taken to Dr. Estevez as soon as her mission is done.”  Steven did his best to ease his worried friend’s mind.

“Yes, you’re right.  Thanks Steven.”

Klaus was still angry though. ‘So this is how they keep their servants in line, huh?  Using underhanded methods by using drugs that will keep them in a constant state of arousal throughout their servitude.  You truly are nothing more than an over glorified madame, aren’t you Mamiya?’

Leona went through her breakfast quickly and decided to move on with the rest of her morning duties.

She was told to clean the garden and to keep an eye for the applicants that were to arrive that morning.  After she was done with the cleaning a cab came to the front of the gate and two people stepped out of it.

They were a boy and girl who, just like Leona, had no idea on how to get inside.  However, Leona tried her best to keep them out as best she could. She told them to go home and that they weren’t safe at the mansion.  But, it would seem the mistress could see them from her office and had a good idea of what Leona was thinking.

‘It feels like her eyes were on me all those years ago.’ Klaus thought with a sense of dread.

Leona opened the gate for them and she guided the guests towards the front door.  They seemed like just ordinary people just looking for work. The boy who is called Yukito, was completely average and not too special, while the girl who is called Yuuna, was sweet, hardworking but too trusting.  When the dog came to greet the girl it showed it’s instant dislike for the Yukito and his fear for Leona. The girl didn’t think anything of it when Leona said it just didn’t like her. However, the young man appeared suspicious.  Yet another skeptic to worry about, but they’d worry about him later. Like most outsiders they became fascinated by the fact she is from Hellsalem’s Lot and she had to put up with their dumb questions.

Steven had put up with many an outsider before and he knows how annoying the bottomless questions can be.

They went inside the house where Leona introduced themselves to Sachie but then went on their way to the mistress’s office.

Lady Marie greeted the two hapless applicants with the same faux kindness that Leona was greeted with.

“She really does know how to charm her victims, huh Klaus?”

Klaus sneered.  “Indeed, she’s like a black widow who teases her prey before she gobbles them up.”

Steven swallowed hard.  This is wasn’t the first time Klaus showed disdain for someone who is disgustingly cruel but it would seem this woman is a different kind of scum than what he and Klaus are used to dealing with.

The mistress wanted Leona to stay for the interview and stood in the corner of the office.  The young man was the first one to do have his interview.

If Steven had to be honest,  he absolutely would not hire this guy!  He has no ambition, not that many skills, but apparently he’s confident enough in his endurance.  “He sure talks a big game that’s for sure.”

“He mostly just cared about the money rather than looking into the information of this job.  As much as I would like him to fail just so he can be safe it did say in ad that no experience is necessary.  She might just hire him anyway.”

While she didn’t exactly say “you’re hired!” He did pass the preliminary part of the interview and the Mistress went onto the girl next.

There was a reason she was so determined to get this job.  Just like Leona, Yuuna has a little brother too. Except he has severe liver disease and he won’t survive after six months if he doesn’t get a transplant in time.  Her family doesn’t have the proper insurance to cover the cost of the surgery so they’ve been working nonstop to gather the money. The maid position pay would be more than enough to save her brother.

Steven heard Klaus sniffling.  “Klaus, are you crying?”

“She’s such a good sister...doing everything she can to care for her brother...just like Leona!”

Steven sighed.  “Klaus, as much as I admire your big yet bleeding heart, I do need you to focus.”

Klaus wiped away a few wayward tears. “Oh, yes, of course.”

The mistress appeared to be moved as well, but then again she is able to use others’ problems to her own advantage.  Yuuna is a very hardworking girl who is studying to become a chef like her mother and future business owner like her father.  She has gained her skills in french cuisine through her parents training when she was a child. Unlike Yukito, she has the better advantage of getting the job.

She too had also passed the preliminary part of the exam.  Now came the worst part.

The mistress told them it was time for the physical exam.

 

_Eleven hours ago_

Leona didn’t want to be in this room anymore.  She felt the humiliation from yesterday’s interview all over again, and how sick she felt afterward.

Both of the Applicants stared at the mistress as if she grew a second head.

“Huh?”  They both said in unison.

“Well I can’t do a proper physical examination with your clothes in the way.”  The mistress said nonchalantly.

Both Yuuna and Yukito gulped and stripped down to their underwear.  They were both blushing messes as the fumbled with taking whatever article of clothing they had on.  Once they were down to their undies Yukito covered his privates, as Yuuna covered her breasts.

“That’s better.  Hmm, Yukito does have quite an impressive physique.  He does have a few noticeable muscles here and there, it looks you will be handle the men’s work afterall.  And Yuuna, despite your childish face you have quite the mature body. Your breasts in particular are the most impressive!  You must have had the boys going wild for those things!”

Yuuna blushed and it looked like she was about to cry. “No, I-I’m not that kind of girl!  In fact I hate them! I never asked for breasts this big!”

Leona felt bad for Yuuna.  ‘Poor thing, if she developed early then she must have gotten a lot of unwanted attention.  I never really paid too much attention to my appearance that much so I didn’t really get that kind of attention.’

Leona took a look at Yukito who was blushing really hard and he wasn’t making things any easier for by just starting like that.

The mistress wasn’t too impressed with her answer.  “There millions of flat chested girls who wish they had breasts like yours and Leona’s.  Be grateful for what you have dear.”

Marie’s attention was captured by Yukito next.  “Young man, you’re practically staring a hole into Yuuna!  Tell me, what do you think of her breasts?”

Yukito was flustered and mumbled a bit. “Uh, umm….Well, I think they’re, uh kind of sexy….and naughty….and bouncy….and big.  Yeah, they look amazing.”

Leona internally facepalmed. ‘Really? REALLY?! That was the best answer you could possibly come up with!?  Way to make her feel more awkward and uncomfortable with herself more than she already has genius!’

The mistress just laughed.  “Hahahaha! Judging by that answer it would seem that you haven’t interacted with too many women.  Tell me Yukito, are you perhaps a virgin?”

Yukito was shocked at her question.   “Wait, what!? What kind of question is that?!”

“Trust me dear, this is important if you want to keep a position here.  Yes or no, are you a virgin?”

Yukito gulped as he tilted his head down in shame.

“Ya...I’m a virgin…”

Leona noticed the mistress’ cheeks turned rosey as she licked her lips at that answer.  She looked like a predator looking at a delicious piece of fresh meat.

The mistress then looked at Yuuna, “And you?”

Yuuna had the same reaction as Yukito.  “Yes! I-I-I am!”

While Leona knew that while the mistress was impressed with her experience with men in the past, she now understood why she wasn’t really given the same reaction like she’s giving   

Yukito and Yuuna.

Everything began  to click inside Leona’s mind.  ‘Of course I wasn’t given the same treatment as them.  From the looks of things my treatment was tame compared to what they are going through right now.  No wonder I wasn’t given a “Welcoming Party”. To the mistress, because of my past experiences I may as well have been a part of the staff longer than they have.  And because they are virgins they will be new staff in training and they will get the worse treatment.’

Leona glared at the mistress. ‘I wonder Lady Mamiya, how many innocent people did you subject to this humiliation?’

The mistress kept asking bizarre questions for the two of them.  Because they were both virgins their questions were a tad different from the ones Leona received.  But did it really matter? In the end they were still just as embarrassing. Next, the mistress wanted them to remove their underwear.  Both, objected to that order immediately. However, Marie was not going to take no for an answer and was going with the reverse psychology way of getting what she wants.

“It’s a shame, it would seem you don’t want this job afterall Mr. Sawatari.  I’m especially surprised at you Yuuna, I suppose you don’t really care for your adorable little brother as much as you were letting on…”

“That’s not fair!”

The mistress was surprised that it came from Leona.  She gave the outspoken maid a deadly glare. “Did I give you permission to speak, Leona?”

Leona knew she had spoken out of turn when she wasn’t supposed to, she was a maid for the Mamiya family after all. (or at least, that’s her cover)  However, that little accusation about Yuuna not caring enough if her brother lives or dies was just too cruel.

“No, you didn’t, but-”

“Then I expect you to stay silent until you are spoken to.  Or do you wish to join them?”

As much as she wanted to help the two hapless souls she did not want to go through that humiliation again.  Leona looked down in shame and said dejectedly, “No Ma’am.”

“Good.  Now then, are you going to remove what’s left of your clothing or not.”

The two stared at each other for a short time.  They both wanted this job more than anything, so they didn’t have much of a choice.  The removed their underwear very slowly, till they were both naked as they day they were born.  Yukito quickly covered his crotch while Yuuna was quick to cover her own privates. Even though, they were both Naked the mistress was still displeased since they were covering the most important parts in her opinion.

“Your hands are in the way, remove them.”

Poor Yuuna had tears in her eyes as she was forced to place her hands at her sides.  Yukito had to look down to try to prevent this cruel joke of an interview from being more awkward than it already was.  It was kind of to late for that but at least he tried. The mistress then had a smile on her face that could rival the Cheshire Cat.

“Much better!  Hmm, I must say I’m rather impressed Yukito.  From what you’ve told me of how much you masturbate I thought for sure it would be a darker color.  While the skin does cover the head I can tell it has a lovely pink color. While it looks average in its flaccid state it must look amazing when its erect!”

Yukito wanted to crawl under a rock and die.  It was bad enough that three women whom he had just met found out about his pleasuring habits, it’s even worse with the mistress’ commentary on his junk!

Leona felt bad for the guy, if Yukito and Yuuna are meant to be together after this is all over, they are going way too fast in this relationship!  But then again, this isn’t their fault. The mistress was forcing them into this situation.

“And Yuuna, without that pesky bra in the way your breasts look much more lewd in the flesh now.  I can tell that you have a very lovely figure. However, it would seem you don’t keep yourself well groomed down there.  Leona was the same but at least she kept the bikini line and the interior hair free. It’s like a jungle down there. This will not do I’m afraid and we will have to remove the hair immediately.  Leona, could you go into my desk drawer and fetch the hair removal tape please?”

Yuuna’s eyes widened behind her glasses.  “What!? Can’t I just shave it off?”

“No, you’ve kept your hair growing far too long it would take ages to shave off.  I will have Leona do it for you.”

Leona found the tape but nearly dropped it when she heard she was to remove Yuuna’s pubic hair.  She honestly did not want to that. She knew how much it hurt when Mikako did it, but since she never used hair removal tape on herself she didn’t know what it would be like on another person.  Unfortunately, she already annoyed the mistress with her little outburst so there wasn’t any room to argue.

Leona kneeled down in front of Yuuna’s crotch.  She wished she hadn’t looked up. Yuuna had big fat tears running down her face because of the humiliation and the fear of the oncoming pain because of the hair removal.

Leona tried her best to keep the poor girl calm like Mikako did for her.

“Take a deep breath, okay?  I’ll try my best to make this as quick as possible.”

Leona placed the tape over her hair and fortunately, it covered a majority of it.

“I’m gonna count to three, 1...2...3!”

Leona quickly pulled the tape off like a bandage.

“OOww!”  Yuuna screamed.

Leona was able to take a majority of the hair off crotch.

The mistress stepped in to inspect Leona’s work.

“Hmm...well done Leona, there are a few stubborn hairs left but you can shave them off later.  Now then since you were so brave enough to go through that I’m going to let you remove Yukito’s pubic hair now!”

Yukito’s eyes opened wide.  “What!? Why me?”

The mistress says nonchalantly, “I have a policy where all staff members must keep their pubic area completely hair free.  And besides Yuuna deserves her fun after just watching her like that.”

Leona objected to that statement.  It was all the mistress’s fault for making them go through with this.

“Leona, can you give the tape to Yuuna?”

She gave the frightened girl the tape.

She kneeled down in front of his crotch.  Fortunately, he didn’t have to much hair so it should have been easy to remove.  However, because of how shaken up and hurt she was, Yuuna was having a difficult time with the tape.  She underestimated how strong and sticky it was that the removal process was more painful for Yukito than for Yuuna and Leona.

The young man was in pain that he couldn’t help but yell.  “OOww!! Son of a bitch!”

Yuuna started crying.  “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay, I know you didn’t mean to.”  Yukito reassured her with calm words.

All of a sudden Yuuna began to sway.  “I, I feel so strange…”

Yukito knelt down to see if she was okay.  “Yuuna, are you alright...huh that’s weird I’m feeling lightheaded all of a sudden.”  He said that as he placed a hand to his forehead.

The mistress stood over them.  “You two are looking a bit pale.  You two should stay on the couch. Leona could you help them please?”

She didn’t have to ask Leona for that.  She was about to help them anyway even without her approval.  Even though they were both taller than her she could easily prop them up and have both their arms around her waist as she placed them on the couch lying down with their heads in her lap.

“Well fortunately, You both passed the physical exams and are both hired!  Starting tomorrow you will be working under Sachie, Mikako and Leona.”

Yukito and Yuuna said with as little vigor as possible. “That’s...great…”

“Thank you...very much...ma’am.”

The mistress grabbed both of their contracts and had them sign their signatures.  Because they were so out of it they didn’t bother reading it just like how Leona was with the end of her interview yesterday.

 Leona felt like they were selling their souls to the devil, at least Libra could step in if things were getting too dicey, but what about them?  They both came of their own free will and came for the money, and of course, both were too stubborn to even have the common sense of going home when things got too weird.  Would Libra even care about helping them. She knew Klaus would, because to be honest, he’d save everyone in Hellsalem’s Lot if they were in trouble and needed help. ‘But what about the rest of Libra?’ she wondered.

Once they both signed the papers, the mistress took their thumbprints and planted them on their contracts.

“And let’s not forget...my little welcoming gifts to you both.  Welcome to your new home! Leona can you look after them? It looks like they’re going to be out of it for a while.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Excellent!  Remember they are going to be your new juniors so be sure to play nice with them.”

The door opened and her daughters came into the reception room, to find the new servants drowsy in Leona’s lap.

Marika was the first to notice.  “Oh, Leona, care to introduce us to your new friends?”

Before Leona could get a word in edgewise the mistress introduced them for her.

“These two are Yukito Sawatari and Yuuna Mitarai.  They will be joining the staff starting today.”

Marika cooed. “Aww they are both so cute!  However, I think I’m going to have a lot of fun with Yukito over there.  I really do enjoy a black haired man with boyish good looks.”

Marisa just scoffed.  “Hmph, they both look pretty stupid to me.  But yeah, I could have some fun with losers like them.  Sachie’s gotten so boring lately and since pube head here will be occupied with other tasks i’ve been wanting for new staff to torment.”

The mistress just laughed.  “Hahaha! Try not to break them too much okay?  I have a feeling these too will become very invaluable to us.”

Marika looked to her mother.  “Does that mean we will be holding the welcoming party tonight?”

“Yes, indeed!”

Marika was ecstatic.  She bend down to stroke a strand of Yukito’s hair.  “I can’t wait to have fun with him tonight!”

Marisa barked out a laugh.  “Hah! Once he finds out what you look like underneath the skirt, he’ll just end up running like the rest of your boyfriends.”

The dark haired girl wasn’t having it. “Shut up! Maybe he’s different!”

Leona was curious by what Marisa said.  What did she mean by ‘what she had underneath’?

“Girls, girls, not too loud, they look like they are about to fall asleep soon.  Marisa, could you take care of their clothes please?”

“Roger that!” Maris said with an upbeat smile.

“See you later, Leona.” Marika said with a smile and a wink.

“Good work today!” said the mistress.

Once the three of them left the office, Leona was left alone with the two new barely conscious employees.  They were both whimpering, they really didn’t look that good. Leona stroked both of their heads as they slowly fell asleep.  Leona then remembered when she and her brother were young and visited their grandparents, her grandmother would sing “Santa Lucia” to them before they went to sleep.  Leona knew how music really can soothe the soul when tired.  She took a deep breath and started singing.

_Sul mare luccica, l'astro d'argento_  
_Placida è l'onda, prospero il vento;_  
_Sul mare luccica l'astro d'argento_  
_Placida è l'onda, prospero il vento;_  
_Venite all'agile barchetta mia;_  
_Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!_  
_Venite all'agile barchetta mia;_  
_Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!_

_Con questo zeffiro così soave,_  
_O, come è bello star sulla nave._  
_Con questo zeffiro così soave,_  
_O, come è bello star sulla nave._  
_Su passeggeri, venite via;_  
_Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!_  
_Su passeggeri,venite via;_  
_Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!_

_O dolce Napoli, O suol beato,_  
_Ove sorridere volle il creato,_  
_O dolce Napoli, O suol beato,_  
_Ove sorridere volle il creato,_  
_Tu sei l'impero dell'armonia,_  
_Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!_  
_Tu sei l'impero dell'armonia,_  
_Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!_

After that, they were both sound asleep.

“That was a really pretty song.”  Leona was startled when Sachie then came into the room.

“Shh! Not so loud you’ll wake them.  We can talk out in the hallway.”

Leona carefully maneuvered both of their heads out of her lap and on the couch cushions.  They wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon, so she felt it was fine to leave them in the office by themselves.  She would only be a few minutes anyway.

“So how did it go?  By the look of the bracelets the have on their wrists I’m guessing they were hired?”

“Unfortunately, yes”

“Are they virgins?”

“...Yeah”

Sachie sighed. “Those two are going to be in for a really rough time I can tell ya that.  The mistress is always rough with those who are virgins and when the trials of hell start it won’t be much of a joy ride for them.”

Leona was getting worried. “What do you mean, ‘the trials of hell’?”

“Well basically it’s pretty much training for the new staff.  Since they are both virgins they need to learn everything the Mamiya’s know about pleasing the opposite sex.  That’s what these lessons for the next few weeks will be about for them. For those two, they will still do their regular morning and evening duties, but in the afternoons that’s when the lessons in the room of trials start.  I did show you that room didn’t I?”

Leona remembered on the tour, Sachie showed her a room that was large and with very little furniture.  All it had was a couch, a grandfather clock, a few plants, and a chandelier. It did have windows and a balcony too so fortunately it didn’t look too much like a sex dungeon, just a regular room that was better suited for storage considering how big and empty it was.

“I remember it pretty well.”

“That’s good.  Since you, me and Mikako are a part of the top staff we will need to participate from time to time.  But, considering the mistress will be giving you a special type of job while your here, you’ll be rarely needed in the lessons.”

“People keep telling me that I’ll be doing a special job here, but they aren’t being too specific of what I’ll be doing.  Do you know?”

Sachie had a glazed look in her eye and a smirk on her lips. “You’ll find out soon enough.  I think you’ll be starting tomorrow as a matter of fact.”

Leona was nervous as to what they will have her do tomorrow.  But that will have to wait. She has two unconscious co-workers in the office and she did not want them to be alone for too long.  However, she did have one last thing to say to Sachie.

“You know, you seem oddly calm by all this.  It kind of makes me nervous to tell you the truth.”

Sachie let out a little laugh.  “When you’ve been here as long as I have you develop a thick skin pretty fast.  Well, I don’t want to keep you too long. See you tonight.”

And with that Sachie walked away.

‘hmm...The Mamiyas aren't the only ones with messed up personalities.’

 

A few hours had past and both Yukito and Yuuna were both still asleep on the couch buck naked.  Marisa came in shortly afterwards and stayed in the office so she can hand them their new uniforms.  Even though Leona really didn’t want to talk to her she hated the awkward silence. Also she just had to ask.

“You know, I’m beginning to wonder, if burning their clothes is really necessary?”

Marisa let out an annoyed grunt.  “Ugh, it’s like what I’ve told you yesterday dummy!  You guys won’t be needing your old clothes while your working here.  Besides we get to provide you with fabulous looking uniforms, sleepwear, and underwear.  Instead of just asking stupid questions you should be thanking me!”

‘Fabulous’ wasn’t exactly the right word Leona would describe these uniforms.  Gaudy as fuck and ugly as sin was more like it.

“But, we could just wear our civilian clothes during our free time or when we are in our rooms.”

Leona noticed the stuck back look on her face.  However, Marisa isn’t one to admit when another is right in contradicting her.

“Shut up!  These uniforms are proof that you are serving a prestigious family like the Mamiya’s!  So, I suggest you quit whining and start showing some more gratitude!”

Leona didn’t see the point in arguing with a stubborn brat like her, so she relented.

“Whatever you say, Miss.”

Fortunately, the two new servants were beginning to stir from their nap after the interview.  Leona rushed to their sides as soon as they woke up.

“How are you guys feeling?  You were out for a while and I was getting kind of worried.”

The young man stretched a bit and winced in pain as he brought his hand to his head.

“Ugh, I feel like I have a jackhammer in my skull, but other than that I feel okay.”

“And what about you, Yuuna?  Are you feeling okay.”

Yuuna adjusted the glasses on her face. “Mmm...About the same as he’s feeling right now.”

Leona smiled softly.  “I kind of felt the same way after my interview too.  I can give you guys some Ibuprofen for your headache.”

Yukito smiled. “That would help a lot. Thanks.”

“Thank you, Leona”

When they were both brought out of their stupor they then realized that they were totally naked.  Yukito and Yuuna covered themselves up however they could, and tried to find their clothes but they weren’t there thanks to Marisa.

“Where are my clothes!?” Yelled Marisa.

“Yeah, and mine!?”

Before Leona could say anything, Marisa interjected.

“Will you both quit being so noisy.  I threw out your clothes.”

Both of the applicants had stunned looks on their faces.

“You threw out our stuff!?”

“Can’t you go get them!?”

“Hmm...They’re already in the incinerator now so, no.  Besides they’re probably nothing but a pile of ashes by now.”

Marisa looked like she was on the brink of tears. “But that’s so cruel…”

“Oh suck it up four eyes!  You’ll be glad to know that both of you will be provided uniforms as well as undergarments while your working here.  I managed to find some uniforms in your sizes anyway, so put them on.”

Yukito and Yuuna were handed their uniforms and sadly put them on.

The mistress then stepped into the office.

“Ah, it’s good to see you too wide awake!  Your uniforms look splendid on the both of you.  I’m glad I made the decision to have uniforms made for our extra busty staff members after Mikako joined us.  Well, now I’m sure the both of you would like a tour of the estate and get settled in. Leona could you show these two around the mansion and their assigned rooms?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Excellent!  I have some work to do in here so you can all be on your merry ways.  See you at dinner.”

Marisa went to her room which left the three new servants alone in the hall.

“Well, shall we get started with the tour?”

“Sure, that sounds good.” Said Yukito.

Yuuna could only nod.  She was still pretty bummed out about her stuff being taken away and burned.

Leona thought she’s tried to make her feel a little better. “If it’s any consolation, Marisa burned my stuff after my interview too.  And I know the uniforms look pretty embarrassing but they are pretty comfortable to work in, plus their machine washable too.”

Yuuna gave her a little smile.  “Thanks for trying to cheer me up Leona.  But i’ll be fine. I try to get over things pretty quickly when I’m upset.”

“That’s good.  I guess it wouldn’t do if you just stayed mopey about it.”

“Exactly!”

After that, Leona took Yukito and Yuuna around the mansion’s many rooms Like Sachie did with her yesterday.  Along the way they officially met Mikako who was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen. Makoto was busy tending the garden out in the front.  Kyouichi was in his room so they wouldn’t meet him until dinner. And then Marika was in the recreation room playing some pool. Se offered them to join her in a game but they declined since Leona still needed to show them what was left of the mansion.  Yukito and Yuuna were both in awe by how huge the bathroom was. Taking a nice hot bath really is the best thing to do after a hard day of work and the three of them they will be using the bath every night while they were there. After that Leona showed them to their rooms.  They were next door neighbors, and Yuuna’s room was right across from Leona’s. Yuuna was amazed by her bedroom.

“Wow! This room is so pretty!  It kind of reminds of one of those fancy Victorian houses that i’ve read about.  I’ve always loved reading _Anne of Green Gables,_ and _Emma_ so i’ve always dreamed of having a fancy room like this one.”

Yukito smiled and said. “Actually, this mansion kind of reminds me of the estates from _Pride & Prejudice, _ or maybe _Northanger Abbey._ ”

Leona was surprised that people her age was still reading the classics.  Personally, considering the circumstances she felt a bit like Sara Crew from _A Little Princess_ or _Jane Eyre_.  But at least those two books had happy endings.  She just hoped that this story will have one too.  

“Leona, is there anything else we should do today?” asked Yukito.

“Not that I know of.  You guys won’t officially start your work until tomorrow, so your free to rest up and get settled into your new rooms until dinnertime.”

“That sounds good to me. Thanks for everything Leona.” said Yukito.

“Thanks Leona...Oh! One more thing.  when we were both feeling woozy, I thought I heard singing.  Was that you?”

“Yeah, now that you mention it I thought I heard singing too.  But I was so out of it I thought I must have imagined it.”

Leona blushed.  She didn’t expect for them to be in the right mind to hear her.

“Yeah that was me.  I figured that a lullaby would help you guys sleep better.”

“That was very lovely, Leona. Thank you.” Said Yuuna.

“No problem!  Oh and feel free to call me Leo if you want.”

“Thanks, Leo!  Hey, maybe if I’m having trouble sleeping I can ask you to sing me a lullaby.”

“Hahaha! It would be my pleasure Yukito.”

Leona left the both of them to their rooms and decided to contact the mistress.

“Ma’am?  I’ve given them the tour and they are both settling in their rooms now.”

“Wonderful!  You did very well on your first day.”

“Is there anything else you would like me to do?”

“You can take the rest of the day off to rest if you'd like.  However, you did mention you have a digital camera, yes? Could you bring it with you to dinner?  I would to have some pictures taken at Yukito and Yuuna’s welcoming party tonight.”

Leona had a weird feeling inside her gut at the mistresses request. “Umm, that’s fine but what kind of photos do you want me to take exactly?”

Leona heard the mistress gave a sinister sounding chuckle on the other end. “All in good time my dear.”  Then she hung up.

Leona felt a chill but, she knew she would find out what Marie meant at dinner.  She went to her own room, untied her hair and flopped on the bed in exhaustion. Even though she didn’t too much hard work today, but watching the pair go through what she did, made those awful memories of that interview come flooding back.  Sonic popped in and noticed his mistress really fatigued from today’s duties. Leona’s face was hidden by her hair so he crawled in through the strands as if he was in a jungle till he found her face.

Leona gave him a sad smile and sighed. “Hey, Sonic.  Hope your day was better than mine.”

He whined and patted her cheek.

“I’m just worried about the new recruits.  I have a feeling that their going to be in for a more difficult time than I will.  I honestly don’t even want to know what will happen at the welcoming party tonight!  Sachie told me what happened at the last one. She may have been lying just to scare the new girl but still…”

Sonic wanted to take her mind off of her troubles so he patted her hand then his tummy.

“Yeah, I could use a snack too.  I’m sure Mikako won’t mind if I grab a few munchies before dinner.”

Sonic nodded his head and then hid inside her hair.

“Good thinking, Sonic!  But remember not to make a sound and stay hidden while we’re in the kitchen okay?”

“Sonic agreed and they went off on their merry way to raid the fridge.


	9. Chapter 9

Leona spent the rest of her afternoon off in her room.  But, she and Sonic went down to the kitchen to get a few snacks first.  Mikako was busy preparing dinner that night but she gave Leona the okay to raid the fridge.  But, like the sweet mother that she is told Leona to try not to spoil her dinner with too many snacks.  Leona told her she’d try not to. She mostly just grabbed a few cookies, a banana for Sonic and a glass of milk.  After their snack time, Sonic took a little nap on the bed while Leona did some reading, and watched a movie on her laptop via iTunes.  She was trying her best to calm her nerves before the big “welcoming party” tonight. She had no idea what will happen at the party and she knew that those two are in big trouble.  From what Sachie has told her, Leona had somewhat of an idea of what might happen. Unfortunately, she did not have a plan for what she could do to help, so she had no choice but to play the evening by ear.  Leona just hoped that what Sachie said was just over exaggerated. However, deep down she knew that this will not be a very pleasant evening.

Soon enough, it was 6:50 PM.  Almost time for dinner. Because she was nervous, Leona thought it would be for the best to fetch her new friends from their rooms and arrive a little earlier at the dining room.  She went to Yuuna’s room first and when Yuuna came to the door to answer Leona’s knocking she appeared to look like she’s had a bit of a workout.

“Oh! I just thought I’d spend the rest of the day cleaning my room.  I doubt i’ll be spending much time in here so I figured I should take care of it now.”

“That’s cool, I pretty much did the same thing when I settling in yesterday.  However, dinner will be ready soon so I thought I’d get you guys. They’re pretty prompt when it comes to dinnertime and expect everyone to be in the dining room by seven.”

Yuuna adjusted her glasses.  “Oh, okay. By the way, do you know what these bracelets are for.  I only noticed it once I got settled.”

Leona explained that the bracelet is mostly used as a communication device so the staff can keep in contact with the family.  She showed her the bracelets main functions like how to answer an incoming call, to calling one of the family members and staff. And she told her that it comes with a built in watch.

“Wow! This is one nifty little bangle huh?”

Leona shrugged.  “It’s okay I guess.  I’m not really a bracelet person.”

“Do you know how to take it off?” Yuuna asked.

Actually, Leona forgot to ask Sachie that question.  “I’m afraid I don’t know. But I was told that it is waterproof so you can wear it while you're washing your hands or taking a bath.”

Yuuna appeared to be fine with the information she gave her.  They went to Yukito’s room next and it took a little longer for him to answer the door than Yuuna.

It took about five minutes for him to answer the door.  His hair was looking a bit messy and he was a bit tired.  He must have taken a nap. 

“Hey girls, what’s up.”  He said with a yawn.

Yunna giggled at his sleepy appearance. “It’s almost time for dinner and Leona thought it would be best if we all went to the dining room a little early.”

Yukito checked the time on his bracelet.

‘Huh...I guess Yukito must have figured out the settings on his bracelet.’ Leona thought to herself.

“Is it that time already?  Sweet, I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!”

“Me too, I’ve been busy getting my room in order I didn’t get to have any lunch either.  What about you, Leona.”

“I did have a light snack this afternoon.  But that’s about it.”

Yukito said, “I guess we’re all hungry then!  Welp, might as well get to the dining room.”

The trio then walked to the dining room.  Leona wanted to go a little slower, mostly just to hold off the the inevitable.  But considering how famished Yukito and Yuuna were they wanted to get there as quickly as possible.

When they arrived at the dining room everyone was there and accounted for.  The mistress was already at the head of the table with her two daughters sitting at the left and right of her.  Kyouichi was sitting next to Marisa while Sachie was sitting next to the eldest sister. Mikako was getting all the food laid out while Makoto had a bottle of wine in his hand ready to serve.  They would sit down for dinner once they finished serving everyone else.

“Ah, welcome everyone!  Please, sit down, we’re just about to get started.”

Leona, Yukito, and Yuuna took their seats at the table with the rest of the house members.  Mikako told everyone what was on the menu for the evening.

“Tonight, we have a Scoglio pasta dish with pan seared scallops, an Italian style brisket with cooked carrots.  And a fresh garden salad with a light vinaigrette dressing.”

As usual everything that she had made looked absolutely divine.

However, what made Leona afraid to eat was that it was probably laced with drugs like the Mistress said to her at breakfast.

The mistress then raised her glass in a toast.  “To our new staff, Yukito and Yuuna! Well, everyone dig in, and let’s have a fun welcoming party tonight!”

After everyone raised their glasses in a toast, Yukito and Yuuna began to dig in to there food.

“Wow, this is really good!”

“This brisket is perfectly cooked!  Did you cook all this yourself Mikako?” Asked Yuuna.

“I did.” 

“Mikako cooks all of our meals here, and they always have that high calibur quality.  She actually worked as a chef at a five star restaurant before I made the request she come work for me instead.  Isn't that right, Mikako?”

Mikako looked stiff for a moment but she still replied to her question nonetheless.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh wow! That’s really amazing!  What was the restaurant you worked at?”

She paused for a moment but said, “...Narciso.”

 Yuuna’s eyes widened behind her glasses.  “Oh! I’ve heard of that restaurant! It’s super famous!  My family and I actually ate there once. Their food had such great quality, before the renovations.  Why did you quit? It was such a high class establishment that it seems like such a waste.”

Mikako was breaking out in a cold sweat and she started to fidget.

Leona heard of Narciso as well.  She never ate there, but she read in a magazine and saw the place in advertisements on TV that it had five star quality Italian meals.  In fact they had a veal parmesan that made grown men weep because it was so good. However, the restaurant’s quality in the food took a nosedive after the place was bought out.

Yuuna went on with her explanation.  “I heard that the restaurant as well as other businesses in the area were bought by some big wigs and afterwards the quality of the food went down but the prices doubled.  Is that why you left?”

Mikako was silent and she was looking more upset.

“Ahem!”  The mistress coughed to get Yuuna’s attention.

“Actually, the restaurant was bought by the Mamiya group.”

Yuuna got up to apologize for possibly insulting the new owner of a famous eatery.

The mistress smiled, “You don’t have to apologize, what you said was the truth.”

Leona looked back at Mikako who was looking really mortified while she was in her corner.  She felt that there was something more to this story than what the mistress and Mikako was letting on.  She could ask Mikako but since this was only Leona’s second day here at the mansion she still didn’t really know her co-worker that well.  

‘Maybe once we’ve gotten a little closer I could ask.’ Leona thought to herself.

Yuuna and Yukito were still enjoying their meals immensely.  However, most of the family members and Sachie were barely eating.  Although, Leona was picking at her food too and was only eating the salad.

Marie Noticed that she wasn’t really partaking in her meal.

“Leona, surely you are having more than just salad tonight?”

“Oh, ya...I, uh...This just a really good salad and all...so.”

The mistress had a glazed look in her eye as she had a sadistic smile on her face.

“You know what will happen if you don’t eat, yes?”

That sounded like a threat so she just started eating everything on her plate.  Leona guessed that the mistress hasn’t forgotten about her little outburst during the interview and was trying to put her in her place.  Even though Leona was a pretty strong blood breed, this woman who was nothing more than a human, obviously had more power over her mostly because of her status and wealth.  This was very infuriating to Leona. She still remembered what she told her daughters while her two new colleagues were unconscious. The mistress was talking about them as if they were new toys for the family to play with rather than human beings.  

‘But then again when you have enough money like the Mamiyas I guess you can treat people however you want.  But even so, it’s still unjust.’ Thought Leona. 

 

Soon enough most of the dishes were gone thanks to Yukito an Yuuna who ate most of the food that was served.  Both of them were sitting back in their chairs, happy as clams and bellies full.

“That was really good.”  Said Yukito.

“That really was fabulous, thank you.” Said Yuuna as she rubbed her stomach happily.

The mistress smiled with glee.  “I’m glad you enjoyed the appetizers,  But I hope you two are ready for the main course!”

The pair looked at each other in confusion.  Leona was confused as well. ‘That big feast was merely an appetizer?’

Then suddenly, Leona felt the blood drain from her face and she felt like she was going to throw up.  Leona realized exactly what she meant.

‘Oh no…’

“I’m sorry but I don’t think I could eat another bite...Just what is the main course, exactly” Yukito asked nervously.

The mistress had a smile on her face that would make the devil scared.

“Why, the both of you of course…”

Yuuna was speechless but the only thing that came out of her mouth was a, “Huh?” 

Yukito just laughed nervously clearly in denial of what was about to transpire.

“Hahaha...Very funny, you guys really are quite the jokesters...But it is getting kind of late...And you know I really would like to sleep off this meal and everything so…”

Yukito tried to get out of his seat, but he couldn’t get out of it.

“Wha...What the hell?...my body…..I can’t move!” 

Yuuna was also struggling to get out of her chair but to no avail.

“I’m stuck too!  What did you do to us?!”  Yuuna yelled.

All of a sudden everyone, including the staff were stripping down to their undergarments.

Yukito’s eyes opened wide and his face turned pale.  “What’s happening?! I don’t understand!”

The mistress stripped out of her dress and said, “It’s as i've said.  You two will be the main course and entertainment for tonight’s welcoming party.  For you see, as part of your initiation you will both lose your virginities!”

Yuuna looked like she’d seen a ghost, she looked so frightened.  “What?!”

Marisa decided to be more blunt.  “God, you really are dumb! You and Yukito are going to have sex, and we’re going to watch.  Did you really think you would be paid eighty grand for just doing menial housework?”

“What she says is true.  The real task of the staff here is to service the sexual needs and desires of the Mamiya family as well as future guests of this house.”

She then walked over to Leona, who was still stunned silent in her seat.  The mistress stood behind her chair and she put her hands on her shoulders.

“We couldn’t have one for Leona last night, since she had already been deflowered.  Considering her two past sexual partners and current lover, there really is nothing for me to teach her.”

She said that all the while stroking a strand of her hair.  Yukito looked at Leona with fear in his eyes.

“Leo...Did you know about this?”

Leona panicked, she turned to both Sachie and Mikako for help but they both turned their heads away from her gaze.  She was on her own with this one.

“I...I didn’t….I didn’t know it would end up this way...I’m sorry.”

They way he looked at Leona bore into her soul.  What she saw in his eyes were fear, resentment, and jealousy.  This would be the start of great mistrust between them.

The mistress clapped her hands to get the servants attention.

“Mikako, Sachie, lay Yuuna on top of the table would you?  Makoto, get your video camera ready, I want everything to be captured on that footage.  And Leona, what are you still doing sitting down? Get out of your uniform and get your digital camera ready!  I want good photographs of this evening!”

Leona was too afraid to move.  She wanted no part of this! Everything that Sachie had said was true and this was terrifying!  She wanted to run away from this place and not look back. However, she knew that running away was not an option. She was brought out of her stillness when Sachie nudged her and said, “better do what she says.”

‘I really don’t have a choice, do I?’  Leona thought dejectedly.

Mikako and Sachie stripped Yuuna out of her uniform and held her up so she would be put on the table.

Mikako looked like she didn’t want to be a part of this but as a servant she didn’t get to decide that.

“I’m sorry, Yunna.”

Sachie just looked casual about the whole thing. “It’s nothing personal, but orders are orders.”

Marisa forcefully took Yukito out of his chair and propped him up against the head of the table , right in between Yuuna’s legs.

Leona slowly got out of her dress.  Soon enough she was only wearing her apron, underwear, and headband.  With shaky hands, she took her digital camera out of her apron pocket and turned it on.  She didn’t want to do this. Over the years she had taken many photographs. Mostly of her surroundings, of people, her friends, even of Klaus when he’d least expect it.  Mostly when he was tending to his plants. She was proud of them. But she didn’t want to take these kinds of pictures. Especially, of two people who are being forced into having sex with each other.  The mistress was about to distort Leona’s gift for her own amusement, and she hated that. 

What’s worse she made the unfortunate decision to wear the contact lenses that day, so closing her eyes wouldn’t be a good idea.  Plus, the downside of the contacts was that when her eyes were closed they would go into sleep mode. They would still be recording, but there wouldn’t be any video or audio.  The best option was for Leona to stare at something else while the audio played, but The mistress will want her to be focused on taking the pictures, so she couldn’t do that too often.

“It’s best just to enjoy the show rather than think too much about it.” Marika whispered into her ear.

Leona’s heart nearly stopped beating.  It was so unexpected and she couldn’t even hear her footsteps.  Marika the slithered her hands around her waist and started kissing her shoulders.

Leona was shaking uncontrollably now.  She was very scared she didn’t want to be touched like this!

“Please...I...I don’t wanna do this. I’m already in love with someone else.”  Leona choked up saying that. Even though the dosage wasn’t as strong as Yukito and Yuuna’s it still made her feel hot and bothered. She didn’t want to feel this way.

Marika let out a sinister laugh.  “Sweetie, love and sex are not synonymous.  And besides, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, right?”

Of course Leona knew that sex didn’t equal love!  But to her and Klaus it did. When they made love, it felt so pure, it wasn’t just about the pleasure.  It was about passion! Their bodies becoming one being! It was a way to express their love for one another without the use of words.  And besides he could hear this conversation on the footage so of course he would know!

At this moment, tears were running down her cheeks.

“Of course I know that...but I would know!  Even if I would never tell him I would still be betraying his trust!  Our relationship is different...it’s based off of an emotional connection with one another!”

Marika sighed.  “Mmm...I’m so envious of lovey-dovey couples like yours.  Fine but I still get to rut against you while Yukito and Yuuna have their little sex show.”

All of a sudden Leona felt...something against her backside.  It felt long, hard and it was pulsing. It kind of felt like…

Leona turned around fast and noticed the extremity that was attached to Marika.  Her eyes weren’t lying to her. That male organ did indeed belong to Marika Mamiya.

Marika blushed and started giggling.  “Surprised? I was born with a chromosome abnormality. Not only do I have female genitalia I also have a working penis along with a set of testicles.  While I can produce semen my sperm count is lower than the average male.”

“So, you’re intersex?”  Leona asked.

“Indeed I am!  But please don’t stare at it too much, it’s embarrassing.”

Leona wasn’t too surprised.  She has seen stranger things back in the city, but the feeling of it behind her is what caught her off guard.  Even though she couldn’t care less if she was intersex or not, she did not like the feeling of being groped and dry humped by someone she had just met.  It felt just plain uncomfortable and just wrong.

The mistress called out to Leona and Marika.

“Leona!  Look alive.  I still need you to focus taking the pictures that I need.  Thanks to your skills I am bound to make a killing off of those photographs.  And Marika dear, you can have fun with Leona as much as you want, but try not to distract her too much.  She still has her job to do you know.”

“Yes mother!  Don’t worry Leona, just pretend that I’m your boyfriend.  I promise I won’t get your underwear too dirty.”

That was easier said than done.  There is no way in hell that Marika or any of these people could replace her Klaus.  But, Leona was trapped. Not only by her obligation as house staff to take these awful photos just so the Mistress could sell them to her perverted friends, but Leona was to be a hump toy for the bitch in heat behind her!

Leona’s attention went back to the table as she witnessed Yuuna’s panties being taken off.  It would seem that the drugs had a strong effect on her since there was a small stain in the undergarments.  Even though the drugs were causing Yuuna to become aroused she was still frightened as for what was to come. As for Yukito, he was at a loss as to what to do.  Even though Yuuna was his type and there wasn’t any doubt in his mind that he wanted to ask her out, going to home base so soon was not what he had in mind! Yes he did want to lose his virginity someday but not like this.  Being forced into commit a sexual act where he and his partner didn’t want to do it, was no different than rape!

He dropped his head in shame.  “I’m sorry...I can’t do this. This...This isn’t what I want!  This isn’t what she wants! I mean ya, I do like her and all...but this isn’t right!  This should happen when the both of us feel emotionally ready and we’re not! Please...Please don’t make us do this.”

Leona started tearing up.  She was tempted to use vision shuffle right there and then just to stop the madness, but everyone will know that it was her.  All she could do was watch.

‘Dammit!  Dammit!’ Leona thought angrily.

The mistress wasn’t amused by his plea.  “*Yawn* That was really cute and all but you two are trying my patience here.  Marisa, could you help him out please?”

“You got it mother!”

Marisa pulled down Yukito’s underwear.  Because of the drugs he was already fully erect.  Precum was already oozing from the urethra.

“Well, what are you waiting for?  Do it already!” Marisa yelled at Yukito impatiently.

Yukito had tears in his eyes as he said, “I’m sorry, Yuuna...forgive me for what I’m about to do…”

Yuktio aimed his manhood right at Yuuna’s entrance and pushed the tip in.  He tried to be as gentle as possible, but he didn’t want to hurt her more than he already had.  Even though the tip was already inside she was starting to feel a hot pain inside. Yukito couldn’t think of any other way to ease her suffering and he was having a difficult time trying to fit inside her.

“I can’t...I can’t do it!  I won’t be able to fit!” Yukito cried.

Marisa getting more impatient decided to do something about it.  “Ugh! Fine. I’ll give you a hand.”

Yukito looked relieved for a minute but when he looked back.  He saw Marisa lifting up her leg. She then kicked his back that forced him to move forward.  His manhood made it all the way inside.

In that moment, Leona’s senses were assaulted by the sound of Yuuna’s screams of pain. And the smell of her blood.  This was only the beginning of a very long welcoming party.

 

Leona was sitting in the bath water with her knees up to her chest.  Her mind was still reeling by what she had just witnessed. The moans of pleasure and screams of agony were still ringing in her ears.  The smell of deflowered blood and bitter semen still invaded her nostrils. But worst of all, she could not get the faces wrought with agony out of her mind and the scenes of sexual horror was still playing like a movie in her brain.  Poor Yukito and Yuuna were forced into losing their innocence by these people! She knew that their fates would be intertwined but not like this! The whole thing was just sick and wrong! Poor Yuuna looked so hurt and betrayed.  Leona couldn’t help but feel that she should have told them what Sachie told her. But then again, she doubted they would have believed her. She even had a hard time believing Sachie at first when she told her of the so-called “welcoming party.”  Oh, they were welcomed alright, but for all the wrong reasons! They were humiliated, laughed at, and all while both were in pain!

‘And what did I do?  I did nothing...All I did was take pictures of their suffering, and watched from the sidelines while my ass was being dry humped by Marika!’

Leona still felt violated in that regard.  Even though it wasn’t as bad as the treatment Yukito and Yuuna got but even so, she still felt hurt by what she did.  She couldn’t even had a say in the matter. Neither of them did. But that’s just it...When you become a servant of the Mamiya household, your feelings and opinions no longer matter.  You are nothing more than a pawn for their whims.

It wasn’t just Yuuna and Yukito’s little sex show that Leona witnessed.  Far from it, in fact. While Leona was in charge of taking photos, Makoto was in charge of capturing everything on video.  However, he was having some issues. He clearly looked hot and bothered but something was off. He looked like he was in serious pain.  The Mistress then told him that he was not longer “punished”. Leona was confused by what she meant, but Marika filled her in on what had happened.  Apparently, Makoto accidentally broke something the day before Leona came to the mansion. As punishment he was forced to wear a stopper. What it does, is that it keeps Makoto from ejaculating.  Sachie was ordered to help him out and when she pulled down his briefs, Leona couldn’t believe what she had saw. Makto had a penis that was about the size of a small child’s arm! It looked to be about eleven inches in length.  Leona knew that Klaus’ manhood was pretty huge at about nine inches, but that was normal because of his large stature. Seeing a penis that enormous on a frail body like Makoto’s was almost laughable. However, Leona did not find it funny in fact she found it to be pretty scary.  Marika told her that Makoto was her mother’s “Greatest masterpiece.” She said that when Makoto first came to the mansion it was about the size of a thumb and that his testicles were no bigger than marbles. So the Mamiya’s forced him to through procedures that made it to the size it was now.  Leona did not want to to know how it was done but Marika told her anyway. She told Leona that some special medicine, orthosis, and hormones were injected into his system while it was being stretched out with a vacuum pump. Weights were also tied to the genitalia so they would be stretched out. Not only that, his genitalia were extra sensitive to the point where it was painful! However, the treatment caused some very unfortunate side effects. The testicles produced abnormally large quantities of semen which had to be expelled everyday. If he didn’t, not only would Makoto be in pain, his testicles would burst. Leona felt sick at hearing that. Her heart went out to the poor lad and she was scared for him.  People have this shallow thought that a man’s size is what matters but it wasn’t. No one deserves to go through that kind of torture just to achieve artificial perfection. Even Klaus was worried that she would be afraid to have sex with him because of huge size. But Leona didn’t care about that. Yes, it did make their intimacy a bit more exciting, but Klaus actually took the time to do research on how to please a woman, and not just with his manhood.  But it would seem that just isn’t enough to please the Mamiya’s. They were sadistic nymphos who took delight in causing other people pain. Sure they say it would be for the victim’s benefit, but that wasn’t the case. They wanted to see them squirm under their feet. Their addiction to power and lust caused them to lose their sense of empathy and they had absolutely no conscience.

That wasn’t all Leona had seen.  The mistress had to leave urgently to use the bathroom, since she ordered Mikako to spike her meal with special laxatives that would help with her constipation.  She told her daughters that they were in charge. Yukito and Yuuna had finished the awful deed by the time she had left the room. Yuuna was on the table unconscious and Yukito collapsed in the chair.  Kyouichi who had remained silent throughout most of the party decided to have his fun. He ordered Mikako remove the remaining articles of clothing she had then lie down on the couch and wait for him. He then proceeded to have his way with her while Makoto watched.  It was a really heartbreaking sight. Kyouichi spouted nothing but insults at her, calling her a horny slut who is willing to have sex with a man who was her son’s age even though she is a married woman. The way that Makoto looked at his mother filled Leona with disgust and sadness that she couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.  Marika noticed that she was crying by the way her shoulders were shaking.

Leona said in a sad tone, “they can no longer go back again...can they.”

Marika wiped away her tears.  “There’s no use crying over spilled milk, Leona.  since they started working here, it was inevitable that Makoto would be lusting after his mother.”

This only made her feel angry.  “It’s her fault...that they can’t be a normal mother and child here.”

Marisa heard Leona’s comment and laughed.  “Hahahaha! Well yeah! Of course it’s the horny grandma’s fault that her son wants to fuck her!  No shit Sherlock.”

That wasn’t what Leona meant.  She was blaming Marie Mamiya. Leona wondered how many lives did she ruined?  How many hearts and minds she had broken into submissiveness? 

This went on for a long while until Kyouichi got bored and decided to go back to his room.  The sisters were getting tired too, so the decided to call it a night as well and left the servants to clean up the mess.  Marika had left her calling card all over Leona’s back. It was completely unwanted. She told Leona she had fun then kissed her on the cheek and told her goodnight.  As soon as she left the room she rubbed her cheek hard to remove whatever residue she left behind. The dining room was a total mess. Cold food, wine and bodily fluids were spilled on the table and on the furniture.  Yukito, Yuuna and Mikako were unconscious so Leona, Sachie and Makoto were the only ones left to clean up the mess. Sachie was kind enough to clean Leona’s back and she appreciated that. Once everything was cleaned up Sachie asked Leona to take Yuuna to her bedroom while she took care of Yukito.  Makoto stayed behind to wait until his mother woke up. Since Leona is strong, carrying Yuuna back to her room wasn’t a big deal. She cleaned her up, dressed her in her evening wear and tucked her into bed. Leona couldn’t go to sleep right away and decided to take a much needed bath.

Leona was trying to wash off the horrors of day away, but she just wanted a place to be alone and try to forget about what just happened.  But it was impossible, no one would be able to forget about a horror show like Leona had witnessed. All she could do was watch her tears fall into the bath water.  She hated the lot of them for what they had done that night. But Leona was angry at herself for not doing anything to help them. She was a sitting duck. All she could do was take orders like the maid she was!

Leona clenched her teeth and she muttered, “Evil witch!”

Her solitude was interrupted when Sachie entered the bathroom.  Leona quickly wiped away her tears that way Sachie wouldn’t notice.  She had a relaxed smile on her face when sat on the edge of the tub next to Leona.

“Soooo….what did you think of that little welcoming party?”

That casual question really irked Leona.  She was treating the whole thing like it was a fucking joke!

“What did I think!?.....It was….I honestly can’t even find the words to describe it!”

Sachie smirked, “Try me.”

Leona’s face softened.  “It was awful...terrifying...I felt my heart breaking in two because of it.  I can still hear Yuuna’s screams ringing in my ears. And...oh god...the smell…”

“Yeah those seem like right words to me.”  Sachie said in a casual tone.

“I don’t understand.  Doesn't any of this bother you?”

“At first, kind of.  But you get used to it pretty fast.”

Leona faced her reflection in the water.  “I really thought you were joking at first...but it’s true...everything you said was true...Christ...This is awful!  And those people feel no remorse for what they do! I don’t think I’ll ever understand how people like them can stand to live like this.”

Sachie slid into the water to join Leona.

“What can I say, when you’re as ridiculously wealthy as the Mamiyas you have the freedom to treat people like their nothing but toys.”

“Yeah well, just because they can doesn’t mean that they should.”

“That’s true but this family so twisted they don’t even care.  Oh yeah and Yuuna told me this afternoon about your little outburst during the interview.”

“She did?”  Leona asked

“Yeah, I passed her on my way outside for a smoke break.  She was getting some cleaning supplies for her room. She told me how you stood up for her when the mistress brought up her brother when she refused to go any further with the interview.”

Leona was silent for a moment.  “I felt like I had to. I have younger brother who was sickly as well, so I understand what she’s going through.  At least my brother mostly recovered from his illness and is alive today, but she has to worry if her brother will live long enough to receive the transplant if her family can get the money together.”

“What did you mean by ‘mostly’?”  Sachie asked.

“While my brother did recover from his illness, it did cost him the use of his legs, so he can’t walk.  On top of that he’s blind. But he’s been a trooper throughout the whole thing, he’s still the same brother I know and love and he doesn’t let his disability slow him down.  He even has a fiance that is helping him out.”

“Ah, now I see.  However, just as a fair warning hon.  I would keep that strong will of yours down to a minimum, m’kay?  The Mamiya’s don’t appreciate defiance in their staff.”

“So it would seem.  The mistress became really intimidating when I spoke out of turn like that.”

“Exactly, so please try to heed my warning.  It would be pretty bad if something were to happen to you.”

Leona felt a sense of unease at Sachie’s words but she agreed anyway.

“Oh, and one more thing.  Try to keep an eye on Yukito and Yuuna.  After what happened last night they’ll probably think of leaving.  I highly recommend they don’t even try.”

“Why not?”

“Heh, You’ll find out soon enough.”

Leona pouted.  “Well, you’re no help.”

“It’s the truth!  All staff find out the fact of this place on their own.”

“I think, if you’ve been here the longest and seen what goes on in here, I think us newbies deserve to know ahead of time what we’re in for!”

“Well, that wouldn’t be fun at all would it?”  Sachie said with a cheerful smile.

Leona realised that talking to her would be like talking to a brick wall but she promised anyway that she would watch out for them.

Afterwards, Leona and Sachie got out of the tub and into their nighties.  When they stepped out of the changing room Sachie stretched her arms and yawned.

“Welp,  I think I’m gonna go into the cellar and sneak a bottle of wine before bed.  Care to join me?”

“Thanks, but I don’t want to get in trouble.  Plus it’s getting really late and I’m exhausted from today, so I think I’m gonna hit the sack.”

Sachie sighed.  “Buzzkill. But whatever, goodnight Leo.”

“Night Sachie.”        

Leona was back in her room where Sonic was waiting for her to return.  He noticed how tired she looked and whined in worry. Leona held him to her face as he nuzzled her cheek.

“Thanks Sonic, I needed that.  Let’s get some sleep.”

Leona layed down on the bed as Sonic tucked into her hair and soon fell asleep.

She was staring at the ceiling, doing a mental recap of what went down that day.  So much had happened in a short amount of time. And that erotic horror show was still clear in her mind.  She wanted to forget tonight’s events and just wanted to go to sleep. However, she had a feeling that won’t be easy.

 

_ Back at Libra  _

Klaus and Steven were silent throughout the remainder of the footage.  They wanted to believe that what they had seen was fake and that disgusting display was just staged and that it was just some horrible prank.  But the way they were both shaking and nausea in their stomachs told them it was very real. 

“I...I can’t even….how….what the hell was that?”  Steven asked. 

Klaus couldn't speak.  It was a good thing there was a garbage bucket because before he could answer Steven, he immediately vomited his afternoon meal and evening snack in the bin.  This went on for about ten minutes followed by some dry heaving. All Steven could do was rub his friends back to calm him down. He now had a good reason to pull the plug on this case and actually go to the police with today’s tape.  

Once Klaus was finally able to empty his stomach, he gulped down a glass of water.  After a few deep breaths Steven voiced his concerns.

“Klaus...I think we’ve really underestimated this mission.  I thought that this would be easy but, these people...I really do think we should call this mission off.  In the tapes they did imply that the missing persons are being kept there. Maybe we should just go to the police with the evidence that we have and get Leona out of there tonight.  We should just let the feds handle this one.”

Klaus was silent for a while.  He knew that Steven had a point.  This video was much worse than what they saw last night.  The Mamiya’s cruelty knew no bounds! Those poor students were forced into fornication when neither of them felt ready!  And Leona...It was clear that Lady Marika had taken a fancy to her. Even though Leona was lucky that she didn’t get hurt during the party but if Marika wishes to go further with her and Klaus wouldn’t be able to stop Lady Marika...The very thought of it was enough to break his heart.  Klaus was thinking of calling the mission off but, he knew that Steven’s plan was flawed.

“Steven...as much as I want to agree with you, we can’t just leave this to the police. Yes, the tapes display their cruelty and abuse towards their servants, but this is taking place outside Hellsalem’s Lot they wouldn’t be able to arrest them.  And besides they probably have lawers up the rear to get them out of trouble even if we were to take the tapes to the police in the Catskills. We already know that the Mamiyas have an iron grip on the law enforcement in their area and have the ability to bribe their way out of the criminal justice system.  And besides it is only implied that the victims are being held at the mansion. We still don’t have any solid proof yet. This is only the second video, so of course there isn’t any proof on the victims whereabouts yet. As much as it hurts me to say this, we can’t get her now. She’s come this far!”

Steven was getting frustrated.  “Klaus, We’re talking about your girlfriend here!  Doesn’t the thought of those nymphos hurting Leona scare you?”

“OF COURSE IT DOES!”  Klaus yelled.

Steven was taken aback.  It was rare when he raised his voice to him, even when he was angry. But with Leona in danger of being treated like a toy for Marie Mamiya, it was terrifying to his friend.  Steven felt foolish for questioning Klaus' concern over the woman he loved.

“I’m sorry Klaus, I didn’t mean to think that....”

Klaus sat down, clearly emotional exhausted by what he had just witnessed.

“No, no...I shouldn’t have raised my voice like that...I am scared for her Steven.  But I still want to give Leona the chance to complete this mission. She has only survived the first two days.”

Steven sighed.  “Fair enough, but you should send her some kind of message, that things have changed and if she thinks she is in any danger she should not hesitate to go into blood breed mode.  She doesn’t have to kill them but she should have the option of showing her true self if she feels she is about to be assaulted. She should not have to endure what Yukito and Yuuna had to, in order to complete her mission.”

“Your right Steven.  I can’t really send her text because her phone is out of service.  I could send Glitter but since she has never been on the outside before she could get lost despite her intelligence.  I'll think of something. Maybe I can get my message to her through her mentor, Jack. Since Leona and the other blood breeds she had helped reform keep in contact through telekinesis maybe he could send her my message.”

“Good plan, Klaus.  Come on let’s burn these DvDs and call it a night.”

While they were doing that, Steven couldn’t help but remember a certain something that reminded him of this recent evidence tape.  

“You know, as sick as this might sound, the Mamiyas kind of remind me of an old movie that was released back in the 70s.  It’s called  _ Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom _ .”

“I don’t believe I’ve heard of that movie, Steven.”

“You probably wouldn’t have.  It stirred up quite the controversy due to its content and the movie’s director Paolo Pasolini was gunned down before he saw it being banned in several countries.  The movie was based on the book  _ The 120 Day of Sodom  _ by  Marquis de Sade.”

“Hmm, Mother and Father would never have kept books like that in the library.  It wasn’t until just recently I have discovered erotica when Leona and I officially became a couple.”

“Well this particular movie as well as the book isn’t your typical romantic, erotic story.  In a way it more or less an erotic horror story. I remember seeing in my mid-twenties and pretty much returned that movie as soon as I was done watching it. And trust me, you don’t want to know what it’s about.”

 

After the the footage were burned onto the discs Steven and Klaus went home for the night.  While Gilbert was driving Klaus back to his apartment he took notice of his young master’s fragile state.

“Young sir,  I take it you won’t be eating dinner again tonight?”

Klaus, who was looking out the window said, “No.”

Gilbert sighed.  “Master Klaus, forgive me for prying but I do hope this won’t become an everyday event with you.  Master Steven told me about your nausea and your outburst while he went out to refill his coffee. We’re both thinking it might be best, if you don’t partake in the evidence review tomorrow night and to just let Steven give you a recap.”

Klaus turned his head to the rearview mirror, his jaw agape.  “But Gilbert, what if Leona-”

“What would Ms. Leona think if she knew you were torturing yourself over this?  She doesn’t know that you haven’t been eating right these past few days, and that you have been sleep deprived.  I promised her that I would watch over you over these next few weeks while she is away and I plan to see through to that promise!  I know you want to watch over her and make sure she is okay while she is there, but it’s not healthy for you to obsess over this matter.  Do I make myself perfectly clear young master?”

Klaus was embarrassed.  He was acting rather childishly over this matter.  And of course Leona would be upset with him if he hadn’t been taking proper responsibility for his health.  But he couldn’t help himself. After watching tonight’s video all he could think about were the worst case scenarios for Leona to be in while she is undercover.  He had to get that message to her somehow! But Gilbert had a point. He shouldn’t neglect his well being over those tapes. He could use the day off to visit Jack at Eden and ask him about getting his message to Leona.

“Yes, I understand Gilbert.”

“Very good, sir.”

Back at the apartment Gilbert decided to make Klaus a small sandwich before he went to sleep.  He still didn’t want his master to go hungry after all. Fortunately, Klaus ate it without any objections.  He took his usual shower, brushed his teeth, and got into bed. Glitter decided to sleep on Klaus’ bed next to him.  She knew he had been acting on edge since Leona left for her mission so she thought she stay near by just in case he needed her to cuddle with.  However, Klaus couldn’t stop thinking about what Steven had told him. Even though Steven said he didn’t want to know about that movie, the curiosity was getting to Klaus.  He put on his glasses on and went onto the browser on his smartphone. There was no way in hell he would watch that movie so he went onto the Wikipedia page instead. He understood why Steven didn’t get into the gritty details because this film was more than gritty it was beyond disturbing.  The page did say that Pasolini made this film to prove a point about power but even so the movie’s contents were beyond disgusting. It had the kidnapping of innocent teenagers to serve those men’s perverted needs, had themes of rape, scatology, blood, murder, and this movie does not have a happy ending.  Klaus quickly exited the browser and turned off his phone. Even though he just read the synopsis on some Wiki page it still made him uneasy. What he saw in the video was not to different from what he read in the first act of the movie. He was worried of what more was there to come for Leona and the other servants.  Klaus felt Glitter hop onto his chest. She was woken up by his heavy breathing.

“Sorry Glitter, something just scared me a bit, that’s all.  Go back to sleep.”

Klaus took off his glasses and layed back down on his bed with Glitter still on top of him.  She was playing guard duty to try to keep his nightmares away. Klaus stared up at the ceiling before exhaustion took over.

‘Everything will be fine...Leona’s a strong, and independent woman.  She won’t let anyone hurt her. She’ll be okay...I hope…” 


	10. Chapter 10

When Leona woke up the next morning, she felt like complete garbage.  She was hoping that last night was just a bad dream and that she would be awake in her own bed back in the city.  But reality isn’t really kind that way. She was still in her room at the mansion and will have to face the coming days ahead.  What was worse was that in the middle of the night Yuuna must have woken up from her stupor and heard her crying. It went on for about an hour till she finally calmed down.  It was clear that she had not forgotten what had happened at the party. Leona felt guilty that she couldn’t do anything to help Yukito or Yuuna. Not only that she had so many questions concerning Mikako and her son.  Why on earth would she want to leave her already great job at a famous restaurant for this dump!? Was it the money? Leona didn’t know but the sad look on her face made it seem that this more complicated than what it appeared on the surface.  The alarm on her phone began ringing and she went to shut it off. She knew she had to get out of bed but she didn’t want to leave. Sleep became her favorite thing here. At least she could escape to dreamland for a short while. Even though dreamland wasn’t being to nice to her last night.  The memories of last night’s orgie horror show still played in her mind. Leona hoped that the nights will get better but she didn’t really count on it.

It would seem that Sonic was ahead of her in terms of being bright eyed and bushy tailed that morning.  Leona guessed he was worried of not waking up on time and getting in trouble with the family. He started pressing on her cheek.

Leona groaned,  “Mmmpf...Okay, okay,  I’m up, I’m up. Can you blame me though?  Last night was awful!”

Sonic let out a little whine.  She did come back pretty shaken up and very tired.  She didn’t even bring him something to eat which proved that something was wrong.  He wished that he could do more to help her along her mission but Leona gave him strict orders for him to stay hidden.

Leona could sense his frustration and gave him a soft smile.  She brought him to her face and they nuzzled.

“You just being here is enough to make me feel better.  Come on, Time to start another day!”

Leona got washed up and dressed then headed out to get started on her duties before breakfast.  It would seem that Leona wasn’t the only one who was bright and early this morning. Yukito came out of his room too.  He still looked tired and probably wishing he could stay in his bed for the rest of the day.

Leona was a little worried about talking to him.  He did seem really angry with her yesterday. Even though he didn’t say anything yesterday she could see it in his eyes.  However, since she was his senior, she thought it would be best to be cordial and say good good morning.

“Good morning, Yukito.”  Leona said in a calm manner.  Not too perky but, not too formal either.

Yukito gave her a surprised look but then settled into neutral quickly.

“Morning, Leo.”  He said in a very tired, and not too caring voice.

They were both staring at each other for a long time and it was becoming very awkward.  He definitely didn’t forget what had happened last night.

Wanting to move things along, Leona said, “Umm...Did you sleep well?”

“Kind of, but not too much...I thought I heard Yuuna crying last night.  Did you hear it?”

“Yeah, I did...When I went to go use the bathroom last night, that was when I started hearing it.”

Yukito took a long sigh.  “Shit…”

“Yukito, I’m really sorry about last night.  Sachie told me about it, my first day here but I didn’t know whether her story was real or not.  I thought that if I told you and Yuuna, you guys wouldn’t believe me.”

Yukito gave Leona a long look but smiled softly.  “It’s no problem. Even after that weird interview I probably would have that you were just trying to prank the new guys.  I just hope Yuuna is okay. I don’t think she’s come out her room yet.”

“It’s after six, and that’s when most of the staff is supposed to wake up by now to get started on their morning duties before breakfast...She still must be really upset by what happened last night.  Maybe if we leave her alone for a few minutes she’ll come down?”

Yukito looked at her bedroom door, then sighed.  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Leona and Yukito walked downstairs to get started on their chores.  Sachie was already in the foyer ready to give them their instructions.  Yukito was going to be in charge of taking care of the boiler in the mornings.  Leona offered to to take him to the basement, which he happily agreed to since he kind of forgotten where it was from the tour yesterday.  After Leona showed him to the basement door and he went on his merry way to get started on his job. Leona hoped that the moaning sound would stay quiet for Yukito’s sake.  He didn’t want the poor boy to get spooked like she did.

Sachie was waiting to give Leona’s morning duties.  Fortunately it was some light garden work. Mostly just to get rid of some weeds that were beginning to sprout and to water the flowers.  Not only that Mikako had already given Cerberus his breakfast so Leona was really relieved she did not have to interact with him that morning.  

Not wanting to stay in the house anymore she immediately got to work on the garden.  It was another beautiful day outside with just a few stray clouds. She took a deep breath of the fresh air and that really lifted her spirits.  This was her favorite job. Being able to get outside to do her work instead of being cooped up with those toxic people really was the best. It gave her a short few moments of freedom which helped her get through the long day.

‘The Mamiya’s can take their morbid rules and demands and shove them up their asses for all I care!’ Leona thought.

Not wanting to waste any time, Leona got to work on getting rid of the weeds.  Fortunately, there weren’t that many so it wouldn’t take long. She used a manual lawn mower to get rid of them.  It was still in good condition and easy to use. The weeds were gone in no time. After the dead weeds were cleaned up she got to watering the flowers.  She even had her camera on her so she could take a few pictures so she could send them to Klaus.

“These people don’t even deserve flowers as nice as these.”

When Leona was finished watering the plants, she walked over to the gate.  Out in the distance she could see the foggy dome that covered Hellsalem’s Lot.

Leona wasn’t much of a recreational jogger, but she had the strong urge to run down the mountain as fast as she could.  But she couldn’t just leave, not now. She was feeling more homesick than ever, especially after last night. She knew coming here was her decision, but, she clearly underestimated how difficult it would be.  She felt that Chain or maybe even K.K. would have been better suited for this mission considering they have nerves of steal. However, after the welcoming party both of them would have flown off the handle immediately.  Despite Leona doing a good enough job keeping her nerves in check last night, she still felt guilty for letting the Mamiya’s getting away with what they did. Not only did they spike the food and drinks here with those drugs they force the staff into having sex when clearly both Yukito and Yuuna were against it.  And Leona still doesn’t know if any of the beyondians are here or not, which was beyond frustrating. But, this was Leona’s third day here at the mansion so hopefully she’ll be able to find something.

Leona was hesitant to go back but she didn’t want to be seen slacking off.  She looked at the scenery for one more minute then headed back.

Speaking of slacking off, that was exactly what Sachie was doing.  She was leaning next to the front door with a cigarette in between her fingers.  She noticed Leona walking towards her, so she smiled and waved.

“Wow, good work Leona!  I’m not planning on eating breakfast this morning, so I’m taking a smoke break instead.  Care for a hit?”

Leona was unamused and blandly said.  “I don’t smoke.”

Sachie pouted.  “Hmm...Is that anyway to speak to your senior?  Here I am graciously offering you one of my cigarettes for a job well done, and this is what I get.”

Leona could tell that she was being sarcastic.  “That’s not exactly a nice reward for a person who isn’t a smoker, Sachie.”

Sachie let out a puff of smoke the put out the cigarette butt on the ground.  “There’s nothing like a nice smoke break after a job well done.”

Leona was getting irritated with her lackadaisical attitude.

“Dude, come one, I just cleaned this garden!  And what work?! I didn’t see you do anything!”

“I did plenty of work!  Man, you’re so touchy! Anyway, before I forget, have you seen Yuuna?  She was supposed to be up at six, but when I went to her room to get her she didn’t answer.  The mistress is starting ask what’s taking so long.”

Leona was afraid of this.  Yuuna must be more than just upset over what happened last night.  But, who could blame her? After having your virginity being taken away by force in front everyone would make anyone lock themselves up in their room.  

‘If I was in her shoes, I’d definitely do the same thing.’ Leona thought.

“No I haven’t.  Yukito and I thought we should give Yuuna her space, especially after last night.”

Sachie sighed.  “I was afraid of that.  Well, I guess we’re going to have to wait and see if she comes out of her room.  I’m going back in, to finish up my morning duties. Oh and be a doll and pick up that cigarette butt will ya?  Thanks! You’re a peach!”

And with that she scooted back inside.  Leona bent down to pick up the litter that Sachie let behind.

“Skank.”  Leona said under her breath.

 

In the dining room Yukito, Kyouichi, and the mistress were already seated at the table.  But Yuuna was nowhere to be found.

“Ah, good morning Leona!  I see you have finished your morning duties in the garden?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Excellent.  I’m only staying for a few minutes for my cup of coffee.  There is some business that I have to take care of in my office so I won’t be joining you for breakfast.”

Leona wanted to ask the Mistress if she had seen Yuuna yet.

“Ma’am, is Yuuna in the kitchen with Mikako this morning?  I haven’t seen her yet?”

Marie sighed.  “No, I’m afraid not.  Yukito asked me the same question.  I’ve been trying to contact her through her bracelet, but she won’t answer.  This is starting to become quite troublesome. Do you think, you and Yukito could go to her room to check on her, please?”

“Sure, that won’t be a problem.” Said Leona.

“I’m getting worried too, so yeah, I’ll go with her.”

“Excellent!”

Excellent!  Well, it seems you two have a handle on this.  Mikako?”

Mikako came from the kitchen as soon as her name was called.

“Yes, Ma’am?”

“I’ll be taking my breakfast and coffee in the reception room today.”

“Very good, Ma’am.  I’ll have it ready for you right away.”

After the mistress went to her office, Leona and Yukito went straight to Yuuna’s room to see if she’s okay.  When they got there, her door was locked tight.

*Knock, Knock, Knock* “Yuuna?  Yuuna are you in there? It’s me, Leo.  Yukito is with me too.”

It was silent for a while, but then they heard sniffling coming from the other side of the door.

“Yuuna, please come on out.  Everyone’s worried about you.”

“Go away!  Why would they care about me?  Especially after what they made us do!  I don’t want to be here anymore!”

This was bad.  Yuuna was not only very hurt by what had happened, but she was scared out of her mind.  Leona didn’t blame her though, anyone would feel this way if they were put into a situation like that.

“Please Yuuna, can’t we talk about it?”

“No!  Besides, why do you even care?  You only took pictures of us from the sideline!”

What she said stung Leona pretty bad.  She was right of course, Leona did take those pictures and even though she was taken advantage of by Marika, what these guys went through was worse.  Yuuna even got physically hurt in the process. It would seem Leona wasn’t getting anywhere with her so she turned to Yuikto for help.

“Yuuna, I know what I did was bad and I would take it back if I could.  But, please don’t be too mad at Leona. If anything, she’s just as much a victim in this as we are!  So please, can you open the door so we can talk about this properly.”

“...”

It was silent for a long time, then they heard a click from the door.  Yuuna was stand in the threshold of the door already in her uniform but her eyes were red and puffy from crying.  Her nose was also red from her sniffling. She moved out of the way to let her friends in. She closed the door thae began speaking more calmly than she was before.

“I’m sorry for what I said, Leona.  Yukito’s right, it wasn’t your fault for what happened last night.”

“Sachie did tell me about the welcoming party, and I should have told you guys.  However, I guess I didn’t fully believe her. And I thought you guys wouldn’t believe me if I told you the same thing.  Sachie isn’t really reliable when it comes to sharing info.”

“You’re right, I would have thought you were joking too.  I’m sorry for bunching you in with the Mamiya’s. What lady Marika did to you must have been pretty bad.”

“Yeah it was.  But you two were hurt the most.”

Yukito looked down in shame.  “I’m really sorry for what happened, Yuuna.  I really do wish I could take it all back.”

Yuuna sighed.  “I know you would.  I don’t blame you guys for what happened.  It was all them. Not only that the drugs made us unable to move, so we couldn’t have run away from that.  However, there is something I would like to ask of you, Yuktio.”

Leona heard him gulp.  “Sure, anything.”

“I know it wasn’t entirely your fault for what happened last night, but even so...Will you take responsibility?”

It almost sounded like a marriage proposal.  But Leona understood what she was coming from.  If anything were to happen because of their intercourse it would be fair that Yukito bore some of the weight of what happened.

Yukito stood up straight, and said, “Of course!”

Yuuna smiled, “Thank you.  I will also bear that weight too.”

“I feel like I haven’t been the best senior to you guys, so I promise from here on out, I will do better for the both of you!  If there is any information about this place that will be of benefit to you guys I will let you know ASAP.”

“Thank you Leo, that means a lot.”

That was the first time Yuuna called her by her nickname. It felt nice to Leona.

Yuuna’s smile stayed for a little bit but then faltered.

“But even so, I don’t think I could ever forgive the mistress or her family for what they did last night!”

Leona sighed.  “I understand, but that's just how things are run here.  If you want to be a servant here, you’re going to have to put up with their BS.”

Yuuna had a look of anger on her face.  “I did not come here to become a sexual plaything!  I mean, what on earth was up with that interview, anyway!?  Doesn’t it bother any of you of what there doing?”

Yukti answered her question first.  “Of course it does! I wish I could just go home after all that  But, $80,000 dollars is nothing to sneeze at. I don’t want to give up on that just yet.”

“And what about you, Leona?”

“Of course it bothers me!  I’m more than bothered by this, I’m disgusted!  However, I came to this place for a reason, and I’m not backing out now.  Once, I’ve started this job I intend to see through this to the end and finish it!”

Yuuna gave her a suspicious look.  “Is it for the money, too?”

Leona didn’t really know how to answer that.  She couldn’t just say she was a super, secret, undercover, spy mission for Libra.  They would think she was nuts!

Leona looked her in the eye and said, “Just like you, I’m in a complicated situation.  But I just can’t really talk about it right now.”

Yuuna stared down at the floor.  “You guys are very brave...But...I’m not like you!  I don’t think I can stand to stay another minute in this place!”

Yukito and Leona were at a loss at what do now.

“So what are you going to do?”  Yukito asked.

“I’ll quit”

Leona and Yukito’s eyed opened wide at her words.

“Quit!?” They both yelled.

“But what are you going to after you leave?”  Leona asked.

“I’ll find another job.  I’m sure I can find a better one, I’m sure of it!”

A ‘better’ job is fine in terms of how they treat their staff, but pay is a whole other ball game.  Leona remembered how Yuuna mentioned that her parents were already struggling with getting the money together for her brother’s surgery.  If he only has six months to live, it’d be too late by then.

“Yuuna, please think this through!  I’m sure you might be able to find a job that would treat you better, but the pay would is a different story.  If your brother has very little time left, it would be too late!”

“There has to be a better job that has the same pay as this one!  I’m willing to go to the ends of the earth to find it! Well, even though I’ve only known you guys for a short amount of time, I’m glad I got to know you too.”

Yuuna soon marched out of her room and headed straight for the Mistress’ office.  Leona and Yukito started panicking. Yuuna really wasn’t thinking this through, and Leona remembered Sachie’s ominous words of not letting either of the two quit their jobs.

They ran after her and tried everything they could to persuade her to stay and stick it out.  But it was useless. Yuuna was as stubborn as a mule, and was hellbent on quitting. Leona didn’t know whether she was just determined or just plain stubborn!

They even passed Sachie on their way to the reception room.  Yuuna asked her if the Mistress was in her office. Sahie did say that she was and Yuuna went off on her own again.  Yukito followed after her, probably to get her to slow down. Sachie asked Leona why she was in such a hurry. She told her that Yuuna was planning on quitting.

Sachie sighed.  “I knew this was bound to happen...Leo, it’s up to you to stop them.”

Leona was confused.  “Why? It’s not my decision to make if they want to quit or not.”

“Under normal circumstances that would be the case.  But, this family is different. They’ve already got their grubby paws on those two and they are not going to let them go that easily.  You’re their senior Leona, so hop to it!”

Leona groaned, but ran after Yukito and Yuuna and she was able to catch up to them.

Soon enough they were at her office.  Instead of knocking Yuuna just stormed right in.  The Mistress was looking rather surprised by her actions.  However, she maintained her composure with her usual smile.

“Ah, Yuuna!  I’m glad to see that you are up and about.  We were all getting worried when you didn’t show up for breakfast this morning.”

Yuuna wasn’t going to play around with her.  “Ma’am, I have something to say.”

“Oh, hold on, I’m just about to finish up here.”

The mistress was handling some documents on her desk then she put them away in a drawer for safe keeping.

“Now then, What can I help you three with?”  She said with a smile.

Yuuna slammed her hands onto the desk.

“I’m just going to get straight to the point, with you.”

The mistress had a sly expression on her face.

“Oh,  That’s quite a frightening face, Yuuna.  Sound pretty serious.”

Yuuna took a deep breath.  “I want to quit this job!”

There was a tense silence for a moment.  But then the mistress burst out laughing.

“Hahahaha!  That’s funny!  You should be a comedian.”

“I’m being serious!”

The mistress stood up from her chair and looked at Yuuna straight in the eye.

“Are you really?”

Yuuna gulped.  “Yes...I am!”

After that the mistress asked the same questions that Leona asked her.  And everytime she was able to debunk Yuuna’s stubborn answers with logical questions.  Not only that Yuuna needed that eighty grand to pay for her brother’s operation, as soon as she could.

“You see, not only do have the operation to worry about, but you also have to make sure that the donor is compatible as well in order for the surgery to be a success.  Besides, even if you were to sell your body, it probably wouldn’t be enough to cover the costs. And tell me, what would happen to your little brother then?”

Yuuna didn’t no what to say.  “I...I…”

“If you take too long, to find a job, your brother’s death will be on your hands.”

Poor Yuuna was on the verge of tears.  “Please, don’t say that.”

This was hard for Leona to listen to.  She put her hand on her friend’s shoulder and looked at the mistress.

“Ma’am!  Please, you shouldn’t have to guilt trip her like this into staying!  Besides it’s not exactly your call to make if she stays or leaves.”

The mistress was quiet for a second.  She then took out three envelopes from her desk.

“I believe this will be able to change your mind, Yuuna.  Since you need the money right away to save your brother, I’m willing to pay you in advance to work for me.  I’m willing to go the same for the two of you since it wouldn’t be fair to give Yuuna special treatment.”

Those envelopes held $80,000 dollars for the three of them.  Yukito started drooling since that was a very large amount of money.  Leona didn’t really want to take it, but Yuuna still seemed rather hesitant.  She knew she needed that money, but this job wasn’t really worth it.

“Oh and Leona, about what you said how it isn’t my call on whether or not she leaves?  Actually, it is.”

Leona was suspicious.  “What do you mean?”

“The three of you signed formal binding contracts.  And if any of you were to quit before the two weeks are up you will be in breach of the contract and you will have to pay a fine for breaking the rules of the contract.  No exceptions.”

The three servants stared at her in shock.

“What?!  Contracts?  I don’t remember signing a contract!” Said Yukito

“Me neither!” Yuuna yelled.

Actually, now that the mistress had mentioned it, Leona did remember signing something.  But it was very blurry. Because she got sick from the drugs she was just about to pass out when she felt something like a pen in her hand and someone using it to wright something with it.

“Wait a minute...I remember now!  But I was completely out of it because of those damn drugs that I couldn’t even sign it myself!  Hell, I couldn’t even take the time to read it because I was so stoned! You made us sign a contract where we couldn’t even give our consent!  And on top of that you forged our signatures to a binding contract no less! This is illegal, Lady Mamiya!”

“Really? as far as I could tell you three seemed to have thanked me the moment you passed your interviews and were more than willing to let me help you sign the contracts for you.  If that’s not consent I don’t know what is? Although I do admire you explaining the legalities of contracts. It’s no wonder the HLPD trusted you a great deal.”

Leona scoffed at her false admiration.  “Please, even an imbecile knows that drugging your future employees, and forging their signatures is against the law.”

“As I’ve said my dear, you three accepted this job wholeheartedly and the pens were in your hands not mine.”

“But we were stoned out of our minds!  Of course we weren’t in the right mental state to say no!”

“You may not know this Leona, but I hold a great influence, not just in the catskills but in this country.  This nation holds my name with the highest regards thanks to my charitable donations to it’s many institutions.  Even if you told everyone that I have drugged my employees do you really think anyone would believe you. To be honest, I’m having trouble believing it myself.”

Leona was seething with rage.  Despite being just a human, she really did hold a lot of power and influence in this country thanks to her wealth and connections.

“I...I want to see my contract.”  Leona said through her teeth.

“Same here!”  Said Yukito.

“And me!” Said Yuuna

“By all means.”  The mistress got out three folders with each of their names on it.  And each one of those folders held their signed contracts. Leona wanted to read her’s thoroughly and for as long as she could.  When Steven and Klaus saw today’s evidence video she wanted them to get a read of her contract as well. The contract stated as such.

In the event that the signee breaches the contract before the agreed-upon time has elapsed or the signee wishes to abolish the contract, he/she must pay the amount that is equal to their agreed-upon payment, but also an added ten-thousand dollars ($10,000) as a penalty for being in breach of said contract.

It was all there in black and white.  There was also a bunch of other cryptic bullshit in the contract that neither of the signees could understand.  But it was clear that each of them would have to pay a total of $90,000 dollars if either of them broke their contracts.  And neither of the the three could afford that kind of money. It was hopeless, they were trapped.

“I just wanted the three of you to know the risks you would be taking if either of you decided to quit.  So, I ask again. Do you really want to quit?”

Yuuna looked down at the floor for a moment, but in the end, she decided to give in.

“I...I’ll stay...I’m willing to do whatever it takes to save my brother.  If it means I have to work here, I will.”

The Mistress smiled and clapped her hands.

“Wonderful!  I knew you would see things my way!  The work here will be hard, but, you truly are a model sister for putting your family’s needs before your own.  It will only be two weeks and by then your brother will be saved! That should give you the strength you need while you are working here!  After all, the weight of a single human life is far greater than the entire planet.”

The mistress’ words of humanitarian bullshit made Leona sick to her stomach.  To Marie Mamiya, human life is no more valuable than yesterday’s garbage!

“That money is all yours now, Yuuna.” said The Mistress with pride.

Yuuna was about to take the envelope but The Mistress decided to add one more thing.

“Actually how about we send your brother to our hospital?”

Yuuna’s eyes opened wide.  “Really?”

“Our hospital has the state-of-the-art technology when it comes to organ transplants.  We even boast of our highly trained staff and our connections when it comes to finding the right organ donors.”

“You really mean that?!”  Yunna asked excitedly

“Of course, and if there isn’t a compatible donor in your family we can find him one right away.  And if things work out smoothly we could have him on the operating table by tomorrow! So how about it?”

“Yes, Please!  I would like to take your offer!”

“It’s settled then!  I do need to know the hospital where your brother is currently staying at.”

Yuuna handed Leona the contact information to her brother’s hospital.

“Ah, yes.  I know this hospital quite well.  Me and the hospital’s director are on very friendly terms.  I will make the arrangements to have your brother transferred by tonight.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

This was insane!  A few minutes ago this girl was bound and determined to quit her job, but her mood had took a complete 180 and she looks like she had just won the lottery when The Mistress told Yuuna her brother can be operated on before the two weeks are up.  Leona felt very weird about the whole thing. Was The Mistress really able to get her brother a donor in that short amount of time? Something was definitely off about the whole arrangement. The Mamiya’s are not the type of people to do good deeds out of the kindness of their hearts.  Leona knew that the Mistress was up to something. Since this is a Mamiya run hospital they’re talking about here, there has to be something sketchy about it, even if it does have the technology and highly trained staff to treat their patients. Libra will have to look into that when her mission was over.  As much as Leona wanted to be happy that Yuuna’s brother will be getting the help he needs to be cured from his illness, she just couldn’t be. Especially since her brother is being helped by these creeps! Yukito seemed happy but he looked like he was having a difficult time trusting The Mistress’ decision to help right away too.  But for Yuuna’s sake, Leona was willing to keep her suspicions to herself and Libra. 

The Mistress stared at Yukito and Leona after she placed Yuuna’s share in her desk drawer for the operation.

“Well, aren’t you two going to take your share?”

Yukito looked at the envelope for a while.  It was eighty dollars so, he couldn’t really say no to that.  In the end, he took his pay.

“And what about you, Leona?”  The Mistress asks.

Leona was very reluctant to take that envelope.  It was almost as if she was taking blood money! However, refusing it out of defiance wouldn’t really solve anything.  Besides she could not pay the fine if she decided to quit, and Libra would only come to pick her up, once the two weeks are over.  However, Leona didn’t know why but she felt that eighty grand could come in handy. For what she didn’t know yet. But it wouldn’t hurt to take the money and save it for a rainy day if something were to happen.

“Alright, I’ll stay.” Leona says.

“And will you take the money as well?”

Leona nods and takes the envelope from the Mistress’ desk.

“Excellent!  I’m glad that this silly mess has been cleared up.  Now then, I’m sure you three will want your breakfast.  We have a busy day ahead of us!” The Mistress says with joy.

“Oh and Leona.  Once you’ve finished eating, can you come back here please?  Today you will be starting your primary job here at the mansion and only I can tell you what it is.”

This was it.  This was the moment of truth.

“I will, Ma’am.”

“Very good!  Now off you go, don’t dawdle.”

The Mistress urged the three of them out with haste and shut the door behind them.

The trio were pretty dazed in that moment.  So much had happened in such a short amount of time.  First, Yuuna was going to quit, then they were told about these contracts that they “supposedly” signed, being offered their pay in advance, Yuuna getting the opportunity to have her brother cured in just a few days and now Leona is finally going to learn about this mystery job she will be assigned to!  This was all too much!

But after a few minutes of awkward silence the three servants went to breakfast.

“I can’t believe my brother will be able to get that operation in just a few days!”  Yuuna said with joy.

“Me neither…” said Yukito, only with a bit less enthusiasm.

“Same here…” said Leona, with same amount of vigor as Yukito.

“But I’m impressed Leona,  I didn’t know you were with the police before you came to work here.” said Yuuna with curiosity.

“Yeah, that must have been pretty exciting!”

“Well, I wasn’t a cop or anything, I was mostly just a part-time forensics photographer.”

“But still, that’s a pretty great job for the resume!” said Yuuna 

They were about to enter the dining room but Leona stopped in her tracks.

“You guys can go on ahead.  I want to put my money away first.”

“Okay, we’ll see you in a few minutes.” said Yukito

Leona went straight to her bedroom once her friends were inside the dining room.  Once she was in she immediately called Sonic to come to her.

“Sonic!  Sonic where are you?”

The little mach monkey was on the bed as soon as he was called.  He hooted to get her attention.

“Ah, there you are!  I need you to do a big favor for me.  You see this envelope here?”

“Hoot, hoot!”

“There something very important in here, and I need you to hide it somewhere in the mansion where no one else can find it.  DO NOT, under any circumstances, open this envelope! It’s very important that it stays hidden and unopened. You understand, Sonic?”

Sonic was quiet for a minute.  Whatever was in this envelope must be of great value if she wants it hidden.  He understood when to follow Leona’s instructions, so like the good little familiar that he was, he hooted in agreement.

Leona was happy, that he agreed to her terms and gave him a big smooch on his head.

He giggled and blushed at the kiss.  He really did love it when she praised him like that.  

“Thanks Sonic!  I’ll be sure to reward you with some fruit and a cookie when I’m on break.  Now, hide the envelope quickly and remember to stay out of sight!”

“Hoot, hoot!”

And with that, he was gone.  Leona then went downstairs to join the others for breakfast.  Fortunately her plate had just arrived. However, everyone had pretty much left.  Leona guessed that Yukito and Yuuna witnessed Mikako and Kyouichi’s little morning ritual and decided to finish their breakfast ritual and decided to finish their meal early.  Not that she blamed them. At least she could eat her breakfast in peace. But not for long, since everyone had decided to move on with their duties so Leona needed to hurry through her breakfast as well. 

 

Once Leona finished her meal she went to the reception room again.  She was dreading to go in alone especially when she just accused her boss of forging hers as well as her new friend’s signatures to a binding contract.  But she did say she would come back to the office once breakfast was over. Once she was at the reception room she knocked on the door to alert The Mistress she had arrived.

“Come in!”

Leona entered the office with Marie now dressed in her usual provocative attire.

“Ah, I see you’ve finished your breakfast and ready to get started I see.  Have a seat on the couch and I’ll be right with you.”

Leona took a seat.  The Mistress was finishing up a few more documents and then placing them inside her desk drawer.

“Now then Leona,  Are you ready to get started?”

“I am, but I want to apologize for the way I acted this morning.  I kind of got a little hot under the collar there.”

Leona wasn’t really sorry for what she said because it was the truth.  But Leona have been getting on her bad side since Yukito and Yuuna started working here.  If she still wanted to remain in the Mistress’ favor for the duration of her mission, she needed to keep her emotions in check.  Even though it meant going against what she believed in. However, Leona had a tendency to speak her heart when there was injustice afoot.  But if she wanted to remain safe, she had to stay in her maid role until her job was completed.

“What’s done is done.  But please, do try keep your emotions balanced dear, I do expect professionalism in my staff.”

‘Please, you wouldn’t know professionalism if it bit you on the nose!’ Leona thought.

“Of course, Ma’am.  Whatever you say.”

“Very good.  Now then about your primary focus while you are here.  Even though you will you have your normal maid duties in the mornings. In the afternoons, however, is another important task I need you to do.  Your task is different between Yukito and Yuuna’s because your status as a maid here is different from their servant titles. Even though you have only been here for two and a half days I’ve given you a similar status as Sachie’s because you are already so experienced in sex that I have nothing to teach you.   That is why you are treated as though you you have been working longer than two weeks like Sachie and Mikako. However, in the coming days I, along with my daughters, son and the rest of the staff, will have to train the junior staff which are Yukito and Yuuna. You won’t really be needed in the lesson room, but there will be some days when I will need you.  But since Mikako and Sachie are very capable when it comes to helping in the lesson room you will rarely be needed. However, I will let you know when you will be needed in the training sessions.”

“That’s all well in good ma’am, but what does this have to do with my prime directive here in the mansion?”  Leona asked.

“Patience, Leona.  The reason why I was interested in you being from Hellsalem’s lot is because I knew you had a fair amount of knowledge about the alter world's population.  For you see, I hold some “delicate assets” shall we say, that need a proper caretaker during the afternoons and early evenings. However, because you are still new here, I want to make absolutely sure you are the right one up for the task.”

Leona felt relieved. ‘Finally! We’re getting somewhere!’

“Okay, what do you want me to do?”

“For the remainder of the week, I am going to have care for a certain someone who has been here in the mansion for sometime.  Think of this as a test. I need to know if you are the right person to this job right. My Marisa was the only who took charge of this task before you’ve arrived and...well, it didn’t turn out so well.”

Leona felt the blood drain from her cheeks.  Did someone already die while they were here?  She prayed that it wasn’t the case and hoped with all her heart, that the missing persons were still alive.

“I think I understand where you’re coming from Ma’am.  I can start now if you’d like?”

“Wonderful!  Come, I’ll show you to the basement.”

Leona remembered when she went into the basement for the first time on her second day at the mansion.  She was still pretty spooked by the moaning behind the mystery door. She was afraid to go back there again, but maybe this time she’ll be able to know what was behind the door.

Their trip to the basement was pretty quick since it wasn’t that far from the reception room.  The Mistress lead the way down into the basement. Thanks to the lights that were on it wasn’t too scary.  But it still had that creepy dungeon vibe going on. The Mistress then stopped at a metal door. I was the same door with the pin pad that Leona inspected.

“Now Leona, this task is specifically for you to handle.  Not even Sachie, Mikako, or Makoto has been in this room. Only my daughters and myself know the combination to this door.  You cannot give this combination out to anyone, understand?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Very good, the combination is 1802.  Give it a try for yourself.”

Leona was feeling nervous.  She wanted to know what was in this room when she first heard the noise, but now wasn’t to sure if wanted to know what was in there.  However, she couldn’t turn back now. She took a deep breath, steadied her nerves, then entered the combination onto the pin pad.

When she opened the door, a rancid odor assaulted her nostrils.  It smelled like a mix of old urine and feces. It was dark, but thanks to her eyes she was able to make out a figure lying on the floor at the far end of the room.  When The Mistress turned on the light, Leona was horrified by what she saw. The room itself was a small cellar with no windows, a few ventilation vents, and a drain in the middle on the floor. A few buckets which Leona detected where the smell of bodily waste came from, were in the corner of the room. In the other corner were dog bowls that had unidentifiable food and liquid in them.  Leona wasn’t even sure if it was food. But, laying with his back against the wall on the cold concrete floor was a man. He was naked as the day he was born and he was nothing but skin and bones. He was so pale that he was practically see through, his cheekbones were sunken in, his eyes eyes had a dull, glazed look to them, they also had very dark circles under them. His hair, which may have been a dark auburn color was now a brownish gray and was now at shoulder length.  He looked like he hasn’t eaten, or seen any natural sunlight in months. In other words, he looked dead. Leona was worried that he might be considering how poor this man’s health was! She perked up her ears and fortunately, he was still breathing. But it was very shallow.

Leona was at a loss for words.  Just who was this guy, and what did he do to deserve this fate?

The Mistress walked in front of Leona, to wake up the ill man.

“Rise and shine, Chris!  It’s time to meet your new caretaker!”

The man, named Chris stirred a little bit.  His eyes blinked a few times as he began to sit up.

“Huh...what...who?......Layla?”  Chris was pretty and scared once The Mistress stepped into the room.  It must have been a while since he had any human interaction.

“Ugh, honestly, you’re still mistaking us a your old girlfriend?  I swear, all that neglect must have made you go insane. Well, there’s no need to worry about that now.  Leona will be here to take good care of you!”

Leona had her back against the wall.  This was a nightmare! Just how did this poor man became a prisoner here.

“Well, Leona what do you think?”

“Ma’am...I...I don’t understand!  Just who is he and what is he doing here?  Has he just been living in the basement all this time!?”

“Mmm...for about ten months i’d take it?  Maybe eleven...Well that doesn’t matter now.  And who he was isn’t important either. I guess you can say he is something of a housepet until I can find a proper buyer for him.”

“Housepet?  But, this is a huma!  Just what did he do to deserve this?!”

“As I’ve said, that is little to no importance.  This is going to be your test, Leona. For you’re afternoon duty this week you will need to look after him. You know, clean up after him, wash him, feed him, ect.  It shouldn’t be any different than taking care of your average dog so it shouldn’t be too hard. Also we’ve also put drugs in his food so his sexual needs should be taken care of as well.  Only handjobs and oral will do. You won’t have to worry about making the food for him, Marisa offered to take care of that for you.”

‘This is madness!  She’s really treating him like he really is a common dog.  He certainly is chained up like one, that’s for sure.’ Leona thought to herself.

“Hmmm...It would seem that he hasn’t touched his food yet.  Make sure that he eats it, will you? He won’t be of any use to us dead.  Well, I think that about covers everything you have to do. Do you have any questions?”

Leona was at a loss for words.  Being in this room made her feel sick.  She had to take care of this man as if he were some mangy dog!  She would never treat Sonic this way! To her, Sonic wasn’t just some pet, he was her best friend and familiar.  A blood beast whom she could turn to when she was feeling bad, A friend whom she can rely on when they went on missions together.  She would never even think of condescending him, in a way that The Mistress is clearly doing to this man!

Not knowing what else to say she just shook her head, telling the Mistress she didn’t have any questions.

“Excellent!  I guess, I’ll just leave the rest to you then.  Take good care of him now!”

And with that, she left.  Fortunately, she left the door open so, at least Leona wouldn’t be trapped with this guy.

He must have been in the dark for a while, that his eyes must have been pretty sensitive to the light in the room.  He still looked pretty frightened and confused even after The Mistress had left.

Leona took a few steps forward towards the cowering man.  He heard the noise that her shoes made and turned his head towards the sound.  His eyes were squinted since they were still trying to adjust to the light.

“Layla?......Is that you?”

Leona felt bad for him.  Layla must be the sound of his girlfriend.  Or his wife maybe? She didn’t want to break his fantasy, but if she was going to be his caretaker for the rest of the week they needed to be properly introduced.

“I’m sorry, but my name isn’t Layla.  My name is Leona Watch, it’s nice to meet you?  I take it that your name’s Chris?”

He was quiet for a minute, but he looked Leaona again but this time with a deep sadness.

“You...Aren’t Layla….”

“No, I’m afraid not.  I’m really sorry to disappoint you.”

“It’s fine…..I knew that….you weren’t…..her anyway.”

His speech was very slow.  He was very malnourished that he didn’t even had the strength to really speak.  This was getting pretty awkward. It was bad enough that she was in a room with a naked stranger who confused her with his girlfriend/maybe wife, but it looked like he really wanted nothing to do with her.  It was as if he really given up all hope, and was just slowly awaiting his death.

Not wanting to remain in the awkward silence anymore, she decided to move the conversation along.

“Um….Well, I was told to clean up most of the bodily waste in here, as well as make sure you are cleaned up nicely too.  What would you like me to do first?”

Chris kept staring at her for a few minutes then bent his head down.

“Do whatever you want….I don’t even care anymore…”

He said it in a way that made her heart hurt.  This was a person who had truly sunken into rock bottom.  She wanted to do more for him, but she couldn’t concentrate with the putrid stench.  She decided to get the cleaning gear from the supply closet. This man had probably gotten so used to the smell that he didn’t even know how bad it was.

“I’ll be right back.”  Said Leona.

Chris only nodded his head once.  Probably just to be polite and not just to leave her hanging without a proper response.

‘If this room was locked it would have made my job even harder.’ thought Leona.

Leona went upstairs to the supply closet to get, a bucket, latex gloves, a surgical mask, non-toxic cleaning solutions so Chris wouldn’t get any more sick than he already was, and some air fresheners.  When she went back to the basement chris was lying down on the concrete floor again. Leona was somewhat relieved that he went back to sleep. However, she decided to do her cleaning quietly so she wouldn’t disturb him.

First she disposed of the bodily waste and fluids first.  Even though the downstairs toilet was still blocked, (courtesy of The Mistress) she was able to dispose of the waste in the upstairs toilet with no trouble.  Once that was taken care of she cleaned the concrete floors. It was also easy but she couldn’t really do the spot that the sick man occupied. Leona thought about moving him, but once she got a better look it wasn’t dirty and fortunately, it was urine and feces free.  So, she had him continue his sleep. While she cleaned the area. She also cleaned out the air vents too, that way the air would flow better. And lastly, she placed the air freshners.

Leona removed her mask and took a deep whiff of the natural smelling room.  She gave herself a pat on the back for a job well done!

Next on her list, was to give Chris a sponge bath.  She wasn’t really looking forward to this one. She had to help wash the intimate areas of this man.

‘Eww’.  Leona thought with disgust.

However, it did seem like a long time since this guy had ever seen shampoo, soap, or even a barber.  While she was reluctant at first she didn’t really have much of choice, plus this man could use a good scrubbing.

Leona didn’t want to get her uniform dirty so she went to her room to see if a bathing suit was also provided.  To her relief there was. And of course it had to be a raunchy bikini, but it would have to do.

She filled the wash basin with warm water, and gathered the shampoo and body wash.  She also found a clean razor to help with his stubble. Next was the hard part. Actually getting him to cooperate with her.

“Excuse me, Chris?  I’m sorry to bother you but it’s time for your bath now.  I’m going to need your help with this, so, can you give me your cooperation, please?”

He gave Leona his usual apathetic stare and said, “...I guess.”

Despite despite being chained up, he was able to sit in a cross legged position.  It would seem The Mistress didn’t want him to be on a short leash.

He sighed and said, “Do what you gotta do…”

Leona gave him a friendly smile.  “Thanks, I appreciate that.”

Strangely enough he was very agreeable during the whole procedure.  When Leona asked him to raise his arms so he could wash the pits, he did exactly what she asked of him.  But he couldn’t do it for too long because his arms would get tired very quickly because of how weak he was.  Next came, the lower half, which Leona was dreading the whole time.

Despite his apathy he could sense her distress to “that” area.

“...I could...wash it for you...if that’s okay.”

Leona was surprised but she didn’t say no.  She handed him the lathered sponge and the wash basin.  She looked away while he did his business.

Leona was quite impressed with Chris.  Despite him being malnourished and the elongated isolation making him ‘not all there’ in the head, he wasn’t a total vegetable.

“...All done…” Chris said.

“Great!  Um, shall I wash your hair now?”

“...Okay.”

She maneuvered his head in the wash basin and filled the cup, which she borrowed from the kitchen, to wet his hair.  She was glad that he was being cooperative in letter her help him like this.

After a quick blow dry his hair was all nice and fluffy.  Despite it not being cut for a while, it must have felt better than it was in it’s greasy state.

“...This...feels...nice.” he said.

Leona though she could see a small smile form on his face and it made her happy.

All of a sudden a loud growl came from Chris’ stomach.  With how thin he was he must have been starving. The Mistress mentioned that he hadn’t touched his food.  Taking a better look at it she could see why it wasn’t touched. She wouldn’t even feed it a dog. Cerberus ate better than this man did!  And what was supposed to be a water dish had a sickly yellow liquid in there, which made Leona gag. Actually Leona was curious about something.

“Hey, Chris...When was the last time you ate, or drank any water?”

Chris thought about that for a minute.  “Mmmm….about...two, maybe three days...I think.”

That wasn’t good.  If he went another day without any water he would die of dehydration.  Leona took one last look at the food bowls by her feet.

‘There is no way in hell, I’m letting him eat this.’ Leona thought to herself.

Leona took the food bowls, told Chris she’d be back, dumped the rotten meal in the garbage then went straight to the kitchen.  Mikako was in there preparing dinner for the evening. Yuuna was also in the kitchen lending her a hand.

“Leona, is everything okay?  You look upset.” Said Mikako with concern.

“I’m okay, but do you have any low sodium chicken broth and some bread?  Perhaps some bottled water?”

“I do have some chicken broth stocked in the cabinet, but I’m not sure if we have any that is low sodium.  Let me check for you.”

Since Mikako is a pretty tall woman she was able to reach the cabinet with no trouble at all.

“You’re in luck, I just found the last can of the low-sodium stuff.”

“Awesome!  Mind if I use that stove to heat this up?”

“Go right ahead.  Yuuna and I are just doing the prep work right now and won’t need to use the stove for another hour. And feel free to take what you like from that bread box over there too.”

Yuuna was getting curious as to why Leona needed chicken broth in the first place.

“Leo, are you making lunch for yourself?”

Mikako was wondering the same thing.

“If you’re hungry Leona, I’m going to make some mozzarella & tomato paninis after we’re done with the prep.”

Leona smiled at her offer.  “You’ll be my best friend for life if you’re making paninis!  But, no this isn’t for me I’m making this for someone else.”

“Really, who?” Asked Yuuna.

“I...I’m not really free to say at the moment.”

Fortunately, the broth had finished heating up and Leona set it to simmer while she added just a bit of rosemary to it for flavor.  She got a tray from the cupboard and placed a medium sized bowl near the pot, which had the broth in it. She also found a saucer where she placed a nice toasty roll.  She got a bottle of water from the fridge and also placed it on the tray. Lastly, she placed the soup into the bowl and the meal was finally ready.

She thanked Mikako for using her kitchen and told her she’d come back for the sandwiches once she finished her job.

She handled the food tray with care as she went down to the basement again.  As she entered the room again, he was more alert than he was when she first saw him.

“I’ve brought you something to eat.”  Leona said as she settled the tray down.

He looked pretty suspicious when he saw the meal before him.  Because of the awful meals he’s had before, Leona didn’t blame him for being skeptical.

“What...is it?” He asked.

“Chicken broth with some rosemary, a toasted roll, and some water.  I wanted to make you something light, but still filling. I was worried about giving you something too heavy since you haven’t eaten in a few days.  If you’re worried about the food being laced with those drugs you don’t have to be. I didn’t add anything else to the dish.”

Again he was still a bit skeptical.  Leona was still a maid of the Mamiya family and of course she would have to follow their orders.  However, she seemed different somehow. Chris’ mind have gotten slow over the past few days do to the lack of food, water, and recreation.  But, he hasn’t really seen this type of person in a long time. Not since Layla…

“Do you think you can eat this yourself, or would you like some help?” Leona asked.

“Mmm...you worked hard on this….I don’t….want….to spill it…”

Leona scooted next to him along with the tray.  She took a spoon full of soup, and blew on it since it was still pretty hot.

“Ahhhh…” Leona said.

“.....Ahhh.”

He opened his mouth as Leona guided the spoon inside.  His eyes widened at how great it tasted. Even though it was just a simple broth with some herbs in it, but, there was something more to it than that.  It was flavorful, warm, and even if it just came from the can he could tell there was a lot of care put into this meal just for him. At first when Marisa came to feed him all she did was put together the leftover scraps laced with the drugs, and the water wasn’t even water.  And all she did was dump his food in front of him then left. He only ate it at first because he didn’t want to go hungry. Only a few days ago he decided not to eat anymore and he just wanted his life to end. He felt that he couldn’t go on anymore if he couldn’t even see his Layla again.  But this girl...this woman whom he’d only known for just a few hours and with very little interaction, was feeding him. And not that awful rotten food either, but with a light soup handled with delicate care. Not only was he being fed, he was bathed, and his lonely cell was thoroughly cleaned.  He had gotten so used to the stench that he just noticed how fresh the room smelled. And it was all Leona’s doing. But, why?

Being overwhelmed by everything that had happened today, tears began to flow down his cheeks.

Leona gasped, worried if she did something wrong.  Are you okay? It’s not too hot is it?”

He gave Leona his usually long stare but this time it was different.  His eyes weren’t glazed over, they were a dark brown that shined with the dew from his tears.

“I…..I don’t understand….why?.....Why are you being so nice to me?  To the Mamiya’s I’m nothing but a fucking housepet! But...you’re feeding me edible food...washing me...cleaned my cell….Why?”

Leona felt a lump in her throat.  This poor man has been without any kindness or sympathy for so long, that he had almost forgotten what it feels like.  The Mamiya’s have been treating him like a stray dog. Only gave him subpar food before he would completely starve to death.  And only to be left in a cold dark basement, for god know how long!

Leona reached out her hand and cupped his cheek.  “You think the Mamiya’s only see you as nothing more than a housepet...But do you know what I see?  I see a sick young man, who has been without compassion for too long and is in desperate need of human comfort.  No one deserves to be in this situation. These people do not have the right to treat you this way! I want to try to help you however I can.  I’ll talk with The Mistress to see what I can help you with, I promise.”

Chris had wanted to hear those words for so long.  He felt his chest getting tight as he began sobbing.  This was the first time in months that he could cry. When he and Layla were separated he cried for days until the tears had just dried up.  For once he actually felt happy, so happy that he couldn’t stop crying. That day, he was no longer a dog. He was a human being.

Chris had finished all of the food and water on the tray.  Leona was happy that he was starting to gain back his appetite again.  He told her that he was feeling tired again and that he wanted to go back to sleep.  She was fine with that, but before she left, she told him that she will try to straighten thing out with The Mistress in getting him the comforts that he needed.

“I feel bad about leaving you here in the dark like this though.”

“I’ve gotten used it.  But, thank you...for everything.”

He layed back down on the floor as he began to doze off.  Leona turned off the lights and closed the door. The Mistress told her to clean the pin pad once she was done with the room.  Even though she was the only one using that room, she was probably still paranoid.

Leona went to take care of the dishes and the tray in the kitchen.  Fortunately, Mikako and Yuuna managed to get everything in the oven and on the stove just in time for Leona to join them for their panini break.

 

Leona went to the reception room to make her report on today’s duties as well as make an appeal to give Chris better treatment in order for him to get better.  Cleaning the cell, giving him a bath and better food was a start, but that won’t be enough. Because he is naked and is sleeping on a concrete floor in the basement will only delay his healing process even further.  Not only that, he needed some recreation, outdoor recreation, preferably.

Leona knocked on the door to alert her arrival.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Leona Ma’am.  I’m here to report my duties today.”

“Ah, I was wondering about that.  Come in.”

Leona entered the office, to be greeted not only by The Mistress, who was sitting at her desk drinking her late afternoon tea, but she was accompanied by her daughters as well.  She was hoping to talk about this alone, but this matter needed to be addressed urgently. So having a little bit of company in the room shouldn’t be too bad. However, she was hoping to avoid Marisa, since she was his last “caregiver”.  Leona thought that Marisa might fly into a jealous rage since she is doing a better job at taking care of him now than her predecessor.

But, Leona would just have to put up with it.

“Please sit down, my daughters and I were just going over the lesson plan for Yukito and Yuuna.”

Leona sat down on the plush sofa. “I’m guessing this is for their afternoon training, I take it?”

“Yes, these lessons will lead all the way up to next week’s party.”  Marika said.

“Another party, ma’am?”

The Mistress laughed, “This isn’t like last night’s welcoming party dear.  Every summer we throw a little soiree where we invite all of our friends and benefactors of our companies.  You know, tycoons, CEOs, the gentry, and the like. We do allow people in without an invitation if they are interested but of course they do have to pay a fee to get in.”

Marisa put her nose in the air, “Not that you would know, since someone like you could never even think about affording an invitation to one of our parties.”

‘Please I actually dined with a prince alongside my co-workers at libra!’ Thought Leona.

“At his party we also give our guests a chance to try out our latest sexual wellness products.”  Said Marika.

Leona felt cold.  She thought that Yukito and Yuuna’s welcoming party was bad, she did not want to know what this party would be like.  

‘They might make me join in this time!  God...I am not looking forward to that day!’

Leona shook her head and decided to focus on the business at hand.

The Mistress was ahead of her in that regard.  “Yes well, we’ll get more into that in the days ahead.  How was your caregiving job today, Leona? He didn’t give you any trouble did he?”

“No, Everything went really well today.  However, there is something important I would like to discuss with you.”

The Mistress put her documents down on the desk, the turned her chair around around to face Leona.

“Hmmm….this sounds pretty serious.”

“It is Ma’am,  You see, these living conditions that Chris is currently in, it has become very detrimental to his health.  He has no clothes, no mattress to sleep on, no blanket to keep him warm and the basement must get very cold at night, which will no doubt cause his current health to only go downhill from here.  And it’s not just the temperature of his environment. When you opened the door to his cell, it was rancid! I don’t think it was cleaned in months before I stepped in. The bacteria from his waste was no doubt, making him sick.  When I observed him closely he was so pale he was practically see-through! I don’t think he’s seen any natural sunlight in god knows how long! And lastly, his food was so rotten that I couldn’t let him eat it I honestly, doubt it was every safe to eat to begin with.”

The Mistress yawned.  “This is all very fascinating Leona, but where are you going with this?”

Leona sighed.  “My point being, is that this man is very sick, and he needs proper care.  He needs to be provided with clothes, a suitable bed to sleep on, recreation outside his room for about fifteen to twenty minutes, letting him have access to the toilets, and I would like to cook his meals for him.”

Marisa’s head perked up at the last sentence.  She walked towards Leona and bent her torso forward to look at her in the eye.

“And what, pray tell was wrong with the food I was giving him?  I think it was fine for a dog like him.”

Leona wasn’t going to put up with her bullshit.  She didn’t care is she made Marisa mad, because looking after Chris’ wellbeing was more important than trying to appease this selfish brat’s fragile ego!

Leona stood up from her seat to face Marisa.  She was a little bit shorter than her but she didn't care.  She was not going to let this prissy princess faze her, not for one second!

“If I may be frank, EVERYTHING was wrong with that food.  It’s not even fit for human consumption. You dare call that innocent man a dog, but Cerberus eats better than him!  He is nothing but skin and bones, and there is no doubt in my mind that you have neglected to feed him more than once considering how thin he is!  I don’t know what he did wrong to deserve that kind of punishment, but nobody deserves what he is going through! I’m sorry if you’re not pleased for what I have to say, but a man’s life is at stake here!  I don’t have the time or patience to appeal to your bloated ego.”

Leona noticed while she was talking that Marisa’s face had turned red as a tomato and started shaking rather violently.  She was prepared for what happened next.

_ SMACK! _

“YOU LITTLE BITCH!!!  YOU ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THAT STUPID MONGREL??!!!”

Leona’s didn’t even flinch.  When she turned her head to face her after that slap she was still stoic.

“Yes...I do.”  Leona said firmly.

“MOTHER!! DO YOU EVEN HEAR WHAT SHE IS SAYING??!!”

The Mistress and Marika were calm the entire time.

“Yes I do, and honestly Marisa you are yelling at frequencies only Cerberus should hear.  Please calm your temper, child.”

“Hmph!”  Marisa said with a huff.

Leona’s face had softened as she approached the Matriarch.

“Ma’am, I know I’m asking a lot...but, you gave this job to be his caretaker...Let me take care of him!  I don’t mind putting in the extra work for him. All I know is that meeting the minimum standards won’t cut it for Chris.  If he is neglected anymore than he already has, he could die!”

Leona fell to her knees with her hands clasped together over her head.

“Please, I’m begging you!  Let me help him, all I want is for him to get better….Please!”

The Mistress was quiet for a while, but then she made her decision.

“Hmmm….Well, he is more valuable to us alive, than dead….Very well, Leona.  I’ll let you take over from here and take charge of his well being, and I’ll see that his needs are met.  I will put in an order for some clothes, an air mattress and a blanket to arrive tomorrow morning. However, you should spend your morning duties preparing his afternoon and evening meals.  Not only that you must keep him supervised while he is outside, I will allow twenty minute walks around the garden, no more no less. Does that sound fair to you?” 

Leona looked up at her employer with a smile on her face.

“Of course, that’s all I ask!  Thank you so much Ma’am, you won’t regret this.”

Marie smiled at her.  “I’m sure I won’t. Now then, being that you’ve taken care of your duties for the day, you are free to do what you’d like until dinner.  Now, off you go.”

Leona thanked her again then left the office.  Even though she didn’t trust the Mamiya’s she was happy that the Mistress agreed to let Leona take a more important role in taking care of Chris.

For the first time since she’s come to the mansion, she was really looking forward to tomorrow.


	11. Chapter 11

Even though Klaus said he’d take the day off, he still wanted to take part in that day’s recap meeting with everyone.  He asked Steven if he could do that much, and he agreed. They were both pretty nervous on what they were going to tell the rest of the team, but it had to be done.  They agreed not to go into too much detail but, they weren’t going to sugarcoat anything either. With everyone sitting in the meeting area, Steven decided to begin with the topic at hand.

“Ahem,  Thanks for taking the time out of your schedules for this morning’s recap.  This meeting will be very brief this time, however, things became more serious in last night’s review.”

Klaus said with a shaky breath, “It would seem we have clearly underestimated the Mamiya’s cruelty.”

K.K. had a look of terror on her face.  “Oh god, what did they do to her?”

Klaus held up his hands to calm her fears.  “Now, now, K.K. Leona wasn’t hurt in this video.”

It killed Klaus inside to lie to her like that.  Of course Leona wasn’t hurt physically, but emotionally and mentally she was hurt at that abomination of a party!  But Steven and Klaus were adamant to keep that part of the video private.

Steven got everyone’s attention again.  “We will get to the seriousness of the video soon, but first, two new employees were added to the staff yesterday.”

Klaus took pictures from his breast pocket and handed them to Chain who was sitting next to him.

“The young man in that photo, is Yukito Sawatari.  He twenty years old, and is a second year in college.  He is perfectly average in every way, and holds no special skills whatsoever.  His reasons for wanting that money is still unknown, but he still applied for that job of his own accord.” Said Steven.

Klaus moved onto the girl next.  “The young woman is called Yuuna Mitarai.  Also, twenty years old, and a second year in college.  Her reasons for wanting the job are rather pure, as a matter of fact.  Turns out she has a fifteen year old brother with severe liver disease and is need of a transplant within the next six months, otherwise he will surely die.  Unfortunately, her family can’t cover the operation with the insurance they have, so they’ve been scrambling the money together for months, but what they are currently making is not enough.  Her family runs a small French restaurant in upstate in Rhode Island. However, since it’s not exactly world renowned they don’t make a fortune. The eighty thousand dollars would be more than enough to pay for the surgery.”

Zapp seemed a little skeptical.  “Hmm...I’m not to sure about this girl, I mean I feel like this is the most common tall tale for someone who wants this kind of cash, not only that it’s the best kind of sob story to pull at the ol’ heartstrings just so they could get hired.”

Once Steven finished sipping his coffee he said, “I was concerned about her story too, so I did a background check on this girl and her family.  Turns out, she was telling the truth, and her younger brother is sick with liver disease. However, we don’t really know too much about her yet so her true personality is a secret for now.  However, if she really is devious, she pulls the innocent girl-next-door type awfully well. We’ll just have to wait and see in days ahead.”

“Agreed,  Let’s move onto their interview.  The mistress held both of their interviews at the same time.  In a way, to compare and contrast the two in order to see who deserved the job more.” Klaus said.

Steven frowned at that.  “Not that it really mattered since, they were both hired anway.”

“And the interview itself...was it the same as Leona’s?”  Everyone moved their heads forward at Klaus and Steven, once Zed asked his question.

Klaus sighed.  “Yes...It was.”

“However, this one was somewhat different because, these two applicants were still virgins before they came to the mansion.  Apparently, Marie Mamiya likes those the best, so they had more of a difficult time. Not to say Leona’s interview was less difficult, but it would seem that Mamiya has her eyes set on these two in a different way than how she sees Leona.”

Chain was somewhat confused by Steven’s account by the applicants virginities.  “Wait...what did you mean by they ‘were’ virgins?”

Steven and Klaus were hoping to prolong the inevitability of telling everyone about the infamous “welcoming party”.  Unfortunately, they couldn’t avoid this topic forever. But, Steven decided to just get straight to the point.

“Well, you know how we said yesterday how they didn’t give Leona a ‘welcoming party’?  These two got one all because they were virgins. Now, I’m not going to get into the gritty details out of respect for the victims, but...during that so-called party, the family forced Yukito and Yuuna into sexual intercourse.  Their meals were drugged and they couldn’t run away from the family. Not only that, Leona managed to capture more of the Mamiya’s sexual abuse towards the other servants and not just the newbies.”

Even though it was short and to the point, knowing what those students had gone through last night made everyone queasy.  Because of what they were told of how Leona’s interview went, they all knew that things were going to get much worse from here.

“Oh my god…” said Chain breathlessly.

K.K. started tearing up.  “Those poor kids…”

“Jesus...I knew these people were fucked up, but…”. Zapp didn’t know how to finish his sentence, he was so speechless.

“What about Leona?  She was at the party too.” Zed asked.

Klaus was starting to sweat.  Zed was assigned to join them in reviewing the evidence footage before he backed out, and he knew that if the applicants had a difficult time, Leona must have too.

Steven noticed his friend’s distress and decided to step in.

“Leona was only assigned to take pictures of the party.  Nothing more, nothing less.”

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, but they were still disgusted that Leona’s gift for photography was abused and distorted for the Maniya’s own amusement.

Klaus felt ashamed.  He really wanted to say what had really happened to her while she was taking the pictures.  But, because Libra is considered a vigilante group who takes the law into their own hands, everyone would want to go to the mansion and take out the family themselves.  Klaus would forbid it of course, but because he knows everyone so well of course they would go against his orders. But then again, he would go along with them too just to retrieve Leona and find the missing citizens.  This case was really becoming a strain on Klaus’ moral code.

After Steven told them about the party, he dismissed everyone from the meeting and they went about their day.

Steven noticed the look of sadness on Klaus’ face.

“You know we’re only keeping this a secret for Leona’s sake, right?”

Klaus sighed.  “I know Steven.  But, deep down I want to tell them.  They deserve to know what goes on in there.  From now on, no more secrets. We will tell them everything of what goes on in those tapes, but we will have them promise not to ask her any questions upon her return.  Understand, Steven?”

“You’re right, Klaus.  We can’t just tell them the meat of the information, they deserve to know the details.  I also agree to swore them to secrecy, and not to push Leona for answers.”

Klaus smiled at his friend.  “Thank you, Steven. Well, I suppose I better be going then.  Will you be okay with reviewing today’s evidence footage on your own tonight?”

“Please, I have nerves of steal.  Are you visiting Jack today?”

“That’s the plan, yeah.  But first, I’m heading to the police station.  I think it’s time to let Detective Law know about Leona’s mission.”

Steven groaned as he facepalmed his forehead.  

“Ugh, he’s going to have my head on a platter once you tell him this information.”

Klaus was confused.  “Why would he want your head?  I’m the one going to tell him.”

“He’ll suspect I put her up to this.  Don’t forget, he hates my guts.”

“Oh that’s not true, he doesn’t hate your guts.”

Klaus was trying his best to reassure his friend, but, to no avail.

“Trust me Klaus, he hates my guts to the point where he would cut me open and choke me with my own intestines.  Better you than me, going to make an attempt to talk rationally to that man.”

Klaus rolled his eyes.  “Why thanks Steven, glad to know I’ll be saving your head while I get chewed out by Detective Law.  Great to have friends like you.”

Steven was shocked at Klaus’ sudden attitude.

Klaus...was that...sarcasm I heard just now?”

He blushed at Steven’s question.

“Uh, well, I...I suppose that was.  Sorry about that, I guess I am a little sore that I won’t be taking part in tonight’s review.”

Steven started laughing out loud. “Hahaha!  Don’t worry about it Klaus. Seeing this side of you is refreshing from time to time.  Say hello to Law and Jack for me okay?”

“Of course, Steven.”

 

Steven was right about Daniel Law not taking the news of Leona’s mission to well.  Klaus couldn’t blame the man of course. Leona is Detective Law’s favorite photographer after all.  Well, she was the only photographer he had who hasn’t died within the first month of working with him.

“YOU SENT LEONA TO WHERE!?”

The petite detective was drawing too much attention to himself after yelling at Klaus after having been told that Leona’s been sent to the Mamiya household.

Klaus didn’t want Law’s fellow officers to know what they were talking about, so in his usually calming manner, he politely asked if they could continue this discussion in private.  The detective put out his cigarette in the ashtray and pulled Klaus into the interrogation room.

“Sit down Klaus.”  Law said in a calm yet aggravated manner.

Klaus did as he was told and sat in the chair facing the one-way mirror.  Detective Law took out his pack of cigarettes from his coat. He lit it and blew out the smoke in a sigh.

“Okay, I’m going to ask calmly...WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!!??  DID STEVEN PUT HER UP TO THIS!? HE DID, DIDN’T HE!?”

Klaus gulped.  ‘How is it that this man, who is only a few inches taller than Leona can make me feel so nervous.  I suppose this is a good thing, but still...I wouldn’t want to be in any petty criminals shoes if it means they have to face the wrath of Detective Daniel Law!’

“Now, now Detective Law, I can explain.  Leona was the one who made the call to the Mamiya’s mansion first.  Steven didn’t force her to go, he was going to accept whatever decision that Leona made.  In the end, she decided she wanted to go on this mission. We even sent her well equipped with the gadgets that could capture solid evidence to the missing person’s whereabouts.”

Detective Law sank in his chair as he blew another puff of smoke.  “God fucking dammit...at least now I know she wasn’t forced into this mission.  But I’m surprised you let her go to a place like that.”

“I’m guessing you know about the Mamiya’s reputation?”

“Who doesn’t?  The Mamiya’s are a multi-million dollar family!  They’re practically bulletproof. In the past, people who have worked with that family and managed to leave did testify against the family for abuse allegations.  But, because there wasn’t any concrete evidence and since the Mamiya’s have the best lawyers...the charges were dropped.”

Klaus frowned at that last statement.  The Mamiya’s really were untouchable. He wondered, even though they will have video evidence of the Mamiya’s crimes, would they actually be punished this time?  Or, will the justice system just bend to their will through bribery and blackmail?

“You mentioned servants who worked for them in the past.  This has happened before?”

“For years as a matter of fact.  The beyondians disappearances have only been happening recently.  I did some of my own research on the Mamiya’s and the servants they’ve hired.  They were only supposed to last two weeks but they never returned home after that.  There are various rumors as to what they do with the people they’ve hired, from keeping them at the estate as indefinite slaves to being sold to their numerous associates.”

“My god….” said Klaus breathlessly.

Law thought he may have said too much.  His girlfriend is working there undercover after all.

“I’m sure Leona will be fine!  She’s a tough little lady, I’m sure she can handle this assignment.”

“I know she can, but even so I still would like to contact her the first chance I get.”

“Good idea.  As much as I hate to admit this, I’m glad you told me about Leona's mission.  If you give us actual proof of the Mamiya’s cruelty, we might just have a shot at locking this family up for good.  Even their lawyers would be stumped on how to defend their crimes...Klaus, this family has done numerous wrongs for a long, long time...it’s time we put and end to them!”

“I couldn’t agree more Detective Law.”

The two men shook hands and stood up from their seats.  On the way out Klaus bumped into Assistant Police Chief, Jasper Crane.

“Ah, Mr. Von Reinherz, I hope you have been well.”  He said with oozing charm.

“I have, Assistant Chief Crane.  I’m sorry for bumping into you.”

“It’s no trouble...hmm I see Ms. Leona isn’t with you today.  In fact, now that I think about it, she hasn’t been in for the past couple of days.”

“I can explain that, sir.” Said Detective Law.

“Leona is out on assignment and she won’t be back for another week and a half.”

Crane frowned and stared at the two gentlemen for a very uncomfortably long time.  “Hmm...I see. Best be careful Klaus...a lot can happen to a person in just a few weeks…”

That little comment made Klaus upset.  If that was supposed to be a joke, he didn’t find it at all funny.

“What are you trying to say, Mr. Crane?”

The assistant chief became rather intimidated by Klaus deep and threatening voice.

He gulped and said, “oh nothing, I’m just joking.  I do have a dark sense of humor.”

“Well Crane, I found absolutely nothing humorous about that…”

“Right...well, I better be going, I am on a tight schedule today.”

And with that he left.  Detective Law patted Klaus on the back and gave him a big cheeky grin.

“That. Was. Priceless.  I mean, I knew all along he was nothing but talk, but damn!  You know Klaus, even though you’re the head of Libra, you’re alright in my book, my friend!”

“I’m flattered Detective Law, but, he was right you know.  Anything could happen to her and that’s why I need to get my message to her as soon as possible.”

The tiny detective rubbed the back of his neck.  Klaus had a point. “Don’t let me keep ya then. But, let me know how far along you guys are with that evidence footage.  As soon as you guys get those DVDs ready I want you to give them to me for review, understand?”

“Of course, Detective.  Take care now.”

Daniel watched as Klaus walked out the front door.  He took another cigarette from his pack and gave it a light.  He blew out the smoke in a deep sigh.

“I hope you guys know what you’re doing.”

 

The gym at Eden was busy as ever.  Since he was titled Eden’s beloved reigning champion by Jack he was welcome to train at his gym anytime.  Gregor Maximus was finishing his warm up when he noticed Klaus walk in.

“Klaus, my man!  It’s been awhile since that epic fight!  How’ve ya been bro?”

Klaus smiled at the blonde’s warm welcome.  He and Gregor would spar while he was training for his fight with Lacey.

“Pretty tired, actually.  Work has been pretty stressful lately.”

“Aww, sorry to hear that bro.  But hey nothing like a good workout to make you feel like a new man.”  Gregor said while flexing his muscles.

“Actually, I’m here to talk to Jack.  Is he in today?”

Before Gregor could answer Klaus’ question, a certain voice answered that for him.

“Is that the reigning champion, I hear?”

Jack walked towards Klaus with arms wide open and big smile on his face.

“How are you, my boy?  Did you come for an afternoon workout today?”

“Actually Jack, I need to talk you.  It’s very urgent.”

Jack’s smile faltered a bit.  “I see...now that you mention it, there’s something I needed to discuss with you as well.  I do have a private training session with one of my fighters right now, but we can talk in my office once I'm done.  But please, have a sparring session with Gregor while you wait.”

Jack went to the training ring to attend to his student.

“Yeesh, this sounds like pretty heavy stuff.  But I guess it’s not my place to pry. Might as well do as he says though,  why don’t you get changed. I’ll wait out here then we’ll get started.”

“Thank you, Gregor.”

Once Klaus got dressed in his sweats, he and Gregor got into their workout.  The blonde was right, this was the best way to let the stressful aggression out! Although, Klaus may have been getting a little too much into this one casual training session.  The whole time they were sparring, Klaus was constantly thinking about Leona and the Mamiya’s. Even though he was fighting Gregor, he was constantly seeing Marie Mamiya. In his mind she was constantly mocking him, telling him what a failure of a lover he is to Leona for letting her fall into their hands so easily.

_Did you really think everything was going to be okay?  Do you even know who we are? I have really big plans in store for that girl, Klaus…_

Klaus’ eyes narrowed.  “What are you trying to say?”

Gregor was looking confused.  “Um, I didn’t say anything. You okay there buddy?”

_Well, I was thinking of maybe having her receive hymen restoration surgery, Many of my associates are not really fans of used goods. Oh! Maybe i'll have her breasts enlarged just like Mikako's! Huge tits really are a turn on, you know._

Klaus was breathing harder as his rage was slowly building.

“Shut up…”

The young Eden fighter was starting to get really worried for his fighting partner.

“Klaus are you okay?  You’re not looking so hot…”

_I even know an old friend who absolutely gets off on making women like her pregnant, or maybe I could sell her to the one who makes his servants act like dogs.  The possibilities are endless!_

The Marie Mamiya in Klaus’ head let out a very sinister laugh at the the thought of selling her to those sick freaks.

In that moment, Klaus saw nothing but red.  “Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!”

“Klaus! What are you-”.  Before Gregor knew it, he immediately got a face full of Klaus’ signature left hand punch.  The impact was so intense that it sent Gregor flying into the wall. Once his bottom hit the floor, he was completely out of it.

The sound of Gregor’s body crashing into the wall snapped Klaus out of his sleep deprived induced hallucination.  Everyone was stunned silent by what just happened. All the Eden fighters knew that Klaus is an extremely strong fighter, but he may have gone a little to far with the unconscious huma.  Klaus felt shocked and ashamed by what he had just done. He rushed to Gregor’s side immediately.

“Gregor!  Are you okay!?”  Klaus slapped his cheek softly to see if he could get a reaction.

He started to come around.  “Klaus? Ugh...what happened?”

Klaus let out a breath of relief.  “Oh thank goodness! I’m so sorry Gregor, I must have gotten carried away!”

Gregor let out a pained laugh.  “Heh, it’s not a problem...Hey, at least I got a taste of that famous left hook, haha, ooohh, it hurts to laugh.”

“Again I’m very, very sorry.  I got lost in thought, I was thinking about someone else.  I didn’t meant to hit you like that.”

“Like I said, it’s no problem bro.  Although, I may have cracked a rib or two, or three...maybe four.  Also, if you see any teeth lying around, they’re mine.”

Klaus knew that Gregor was trying to keep his sense of humor despite being in serious pain.  The doors to the training room burst open with Jack speed walking in to see what the trouble was.

“What is going on in here?!”  Jack asked with an irritated tone.

Jack was stunned by the sight of Gregor on the floor.  Even though he had been hurt plenty of times while he was in the ring, he still looked pretty bad.  He looked to Klaus and judging by the guilty expression he had on his face, Jack found the culprit.

Jack sighed in annoyance.  “Looks like I’m going to have to cancel my session today...C’mon Gregor, let’s get you fixed up.  Klaus, wait in my office. I think it’s time we’ve had that talk.”

 

This was humiliating.  Klaus felt like a schoolboy who had just been sent to the headmaster’s office after being in a scuffle with the bully in the school yard.  He couldn’t believe he’d let his imagination get the better of him like this. He couldn’t even get one moment of peace on his day off! Now Klaus is just sitting in Jack’s office so they could talk about what went on during that workout session.  He really needed to get some sleep.

The elder blood breed entered the office and walked over to his desk.  “Well despite the signature move you gave to Gregor, he’s still alive and kicking.  While I do admire your fighting prowess in the ring, I do appreciate a modecom of control during a simple training session.”

Klaus hunched over with his head in hands, still feeling the embarrassment of his beastly display in the gym.  Jack sighed at Klaus’ embarrassment. He really didn’t like seeing his champion looking like this.

“Oh come now Klaus, it’s not like you permanently crippled the man.  Trust me, I’ve seen Gregor at his worse and he always manages to bounce back up again.”

Klaus sat up straight but his face was still red with shame.  “I really am sorry for injuring one of your fighters, Jack. I managed to find some of his teeth though.”

Klaus dropped the two molars into Jack’s hands.  “Ah, I’m sure he’ll be wanting these back. Thank you Klaus.”

He put the teeth in his desk drawer so he could give them to the injured brawler later.  He sat as his desk and intertwined his fingers.

“Now, I’m going to take a wild guess and say that the reason why you nearly put Gregor in a coma was because that had something to do with Leona, am I correct?”

Klaus sighed.  “You’re not wrong...Leona’s been gone for only a few days and I feel like I’m losing my mind!”

“I see.  I’ve actually been wanting to ask you about her myself, actually.  She did tell me ahead of time that she would be gone for a few weeks, but she didn’t tell me the location.  She was rather tight lipped about the whole thing, and I don’t think she told Lacey, and Tonio about where she was going either.  They told me they’ve tried to contact her a few times via telepathy, but she’s been blocking their connection to her.”

Klaus was intrigued.  Leona really is, always full of surprises.  “She knows how to block telepathy?”

“And much more.  When one becomes a blood breed for the first time, their senses are increased ten times of the average huma.  They also discover different powers within that short amount of time but they can be difficult to control. I’m sure you have witnessed her different abilities over time, but she has been able to master her senses and her other powers at a very advanced level.  Even though, after her transformation she had difficulty regaining that control of her abilities she was able to reign them in again in no time at all. She truly is a wonder to behold, Klaus. For a blood breed who only relies on a few pints of blood a month, she truly is an incredible creature.”

“Your right.  The more she grows as a blood breed, the greater she becomes.  She doesn’t instantly gain power by killing, but she gains them slowly, through non-violent tactics.  She even managed to send the worst criminals in Hellsalem’s Lot into police custody thanks to her abilities.”

“As much I would love praising more of her accomplishments we are getting off topic.  When Lacey and Tonio said that Leona wouldn’t let them in to talk to her, I tried to do the same, but of course, to no avail.  She clearly doesn’t want her location to be known, or let us know the details of her mission. As her mentor, you understand my concerns, don’t you Klaus?”  

He was right.  Leona’s coven was pretty much a third family to her (Second, being Libra).  Jack had every right to know where his pupil was.

“I do understand.  I’ll tell you, but you are sworn to secrecy.  You can’t tell anyone about Leona’s mission.”

Jack understood this mission was serious and agreed to Klaus’ terms. “Fair enough.”

“I guess I should start at the beginning.”

Klaus told Jack everything.  From Leona getting the flyer for the maid position from her friend, to  the interview, the welcoming party and finally, last night’s video. Klaus wasn’t too intricate with the details, since he was trying to protect Leona’s privacy.  But as Klaus got deeper into her mission, It left Jack slumped in his chair, completely winded from the intensity of Leona’s situation.

“Holy shit…” Jack said breathlessly.

“You can say that again.”

“Holy shit...now I understand Leona didn’t want to talk to any of us where she went.  If Lacey found out about this, he’d probably bite your head off.”

Klaus knew he would.  Even though they were no longer rivals, Klaus knew he was still pretty protective of her.  He was pretty lucky that Lacey just punched him when she turned into a zen tai don.

“You’re probably right about that.”

“But my head’s still spinning from what you just told me.  I can’t believe she’s working undercover at the Mamiya estate!  Although, I shouldn’t be too surprised. If anyone is suspected of holding  the missing beyondians hostage, it would be them.”

Klaus was understanding how famous/infamous this family truly is.

“I always thought the Mamiya’s were pretty mysterious.  I’ve only met the family when I was fourteen. But seeing a little bit of that party from hell still frightens me to this day.”

Jack was surprised that Klaus actually saw the secret life of the Mamiya’s first hand.

“You saw one of their infamous parties?” Asked Jack.

“I did, but my parents were so disgusted by what they saw we left in a heartbeat.  You seem to have some knowledge about the Mamiya’s yourself, Jack.”

“Rumors about the Mamiya’s poisonous past spreads like a disease.  It would seem they haven’t changed at all over the past millennia.”

“Did you have an interaction with them in the past?”

“Not directly.  I don’t know what today’s family is like, Klaus.  However, I have been around for a very long time. I know how they’ve taken women and young girls from families in the past when they couldn’t pay their debts when sharecropping was still around…”

Jack went silent for a moment.

“I’m not sure if I should tell you this, but considering I’m no longer the blood breed I once was, I’ll tell you.  Back then, when I killed for survival as well as to increase my powers, I came across a poor sharecropper who was heavily in debt to the Mamiya’s.  His downtrodden face still haunts my memories.”

Jack took in a shaky breath as he remembered his time as a monstrous killer.

“When I asked the man of his troubles, he told me he could no longer pay for the partial land that the Mamiya’s lent to him.  All of his crops had perished, and with no source of income he had no choice but to give up his wife and daughter to the family to pay off the debt.  He also offered himself up the Mamiya’s since he didn’t want to be separated from his family. So, considering they would be dead either way when they met their fate… what do you think I did?”

Klaus’ eyes opened wide when he came to the realization.

“You killed them…”

Jack’s eyes filled with tears as he felt the unbearable lump in his throat.  “At the time… at the time I justified my actions as a mercy killing. It was a free meal so how could I refuse?  When I went into their home that night, I went after the farmer and his wife first. They were holding each other’s hand in their sleep.  I was swift in killing them both. Even though I was full, I wasn’t finished yet. I walked into the daughter’s room next. She was probably ten or eleven years old at the time.”

Jack wasn’t the only one feeling emotional from this tragic tale.  Klaus swallowed the lump in his throat that formed an uncomfortable weight in his stomach.  He didn’t want to hear this anymore, but he listened until his story ended.

“I drank her blood without a second thought… I should have saved her back then… she was just a child, her life was still ahead of her!  She didn’t even have a choice… either she was to become a fuck toy for those god damn monsters or become my dinner! I should have given her the choice to be my daughter instead.  I would have taken her away from that terrible place, like Lacey did for his own child! But… I didn’t…”

This was a first for Klaus.  A blood breed, and a level thirteen elder blood breed at that, was pouring his heart out to him and in top of that, he was crying in remorse for his past mistakes.  Even though Klaus was deeply saddened by this story, he was glad Jack told him this tragic history.

‘Leona, your labor of reforming blood breeds really did bear fruit, my love.’

Klaus took out his handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Jack.

“Jack, thank you for telling me this.  What you’re feeling right now means that you are coming to terms with your past actions so you can move on.”

Jack wiped his tears with the borrowed handkerchief, and smiled sadly at Klaus.

“I’m grateful to Leona’s compassion.  It really has helped me to change as a reformed blood breed.  If I hadn’t met her, I probably would have never felt this ache.  I needed to feel this. Leona has done so much for the three of us.  Not only did she give us a second chance, she gave us our humanity back.  She… she gave me back my heart.”

Klaus smiled.  “I’m glad. I just hope other blood breeds will follow her example.”

“I’m sure they will in time.  Now then, there was something you needed to ask me.”

Klaus remembered why he wanted to speak Jack in the first place.  He almost forgot what he came here.

“Well, since you told me that Leona was blocking your connection, I feel like it would be useless to ask this now, but I was hoping to have you send a message to her for me.  With how things are right now, I need her to know that if she is feeling threatened in any way, she should not hesitate to fight back. I foolishly hoped that this would be an easy mission but we underestimated them big time.  I’ve seen their cruel ways when I was just a boy, but because I've tried so hard to repress that memory I’ve forgotten how evil this family is.”

Jack sighed as he intertwined his fingers.

“Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do right now.  In the end, it’s all up to Leona if she wishes to talk to me or anyone else in our coven.  However, I will let you know when she does contact me as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Jack.  I really appreciate that.”

The blood breed smiled at him, fangs and all.

“Anything for my favorite protege and her reigning champion.”

The two gentlemen shook hands.  But before Klaus left, Jack wanted to give him a warning.

“Remember Klaus, the Mamiya’s are pure evil, you and Leona must remain on guard.  However, hope is not lost. Leona is a smart woman, when trouble comes, she’ll know what to do.  But your right to let her know when to cut her losses too. When she contacts me you’ll be the first to know.  And don’t worry, I’ll keep this a secret from the others. Leona will let them know when she’s ready.”

Klaus was so glad that Jack was willing to help him, he pulled the blood breed in for a hug.  This caught him off guard for a second but happily returned the gesture.

‘Imagine, me, hugging a fang hunter!  I never thought I’d see this day.’ Jack thought with amusement.  There was no way he was going to let this humorous possibility slide.

“Ahhh!  I’m hugging the reigning champion of Eden!  I’ll never was this body again!” The blood breed joked as if he was an admirer all a flutter.

Klaus showed his infamous smile then laughed.

‘Wow!  Leona wasn’t kidding when she said people found his smile terrifying.  She must really love this man.’

“But seriously, I’m glad to help.  Now you should head home and get some much needed sleep.  No offense but I don’t want you to send another fighter into a near coma again.”

“Understood, take care Jack.”

With that Klaus headed home.  Unfortunately, Gregor wasn’t in the right headspace to talk to Klaus thanks to the anesthetic.  He decided to visit Gregor another time to give a formal apology. But for now, he followed Jacks advice to eat a proper meal and to get a good night's sleep.  Hopefully ,this night would be better since Steven would be the only on reviewing the footage that night.

 

Steven arrived back at him penthouse apartment, after another evening of reviewing Leona’s third day at the mansion from hell.  Although fortunately, today’s video wasn’t as bad as last night’s. Well, it was still bad but it wasn’t BAD, bad. This time, Steven actually had the stomach to eat a decent meal, without feeling completely nauseous.  He suspected his housekeeper, Mrs. Vedded, was on her way home by now. Even though these past few nights she made his meals and put them in the fridge. However, because of how disturbing those first two videos were he couldn’t eat them.  He felt bad, because he knew she always worked hard in cooking his meals. Steven can cook, of course, but because work always kept him busy he didn’t have the time make his favorite dishes himself. Tonight, Mrs. Vedded made him a small pot of ginger chicken soup, along with a note attached.

It said,

_Dear, Mr. Starphase_

_I’ve prepared some ginger chicken soup for you to eat tonight, as well as your usual breakfast for tomorrow morning.  I really do hope you will feel well enough to eat this. Since the broth isn’t to salty and ginger is always good for an upset stomach, I think this will be more towards your liking.  I know you have a stressful job, but I was worried when you didn’t really eat the first few meals I’ve made for you. You really shouldn’t neglect your health like this, but I think the soup will help perk you up a bit._

_Sincerely,_

_Mrs. Vedded._

Steven sighed, just like a sweet grandmother, she knows how to take care of a person with warm food with a nice helping of guilt.  Still the soup did smell good, and his appetite did come back today. This was actually a funny coincidence with this soup. It was similar to the soup that Leona prepared for that young man, Chris.  Even though, this video wasn’t that bad gross factor wise, it was still awful. Steven found out how the Mamiya’s are able to keep their servants under their thumbs. Leona, Yukito, and Yuuna unknowingly signed binding contracts after they were finished with their interviews.  But because they were so out of it, they couldn't even read the fine print and they had to have the matriarch sign their signatures while the pens were in their employee’s hands. Of course the Mistress would pull a dirty trick like that. Steven actually had seen this sort of thing done before.  It’s very sketchy and people often wonder if it should still be illegal and if this pen in hand trick should be considered forgery. This trick has often been used on dying testators who have become too delirious to even try to stop anyone who try to distort the will for their own personal gain. But because they put the pen in their hand people would think that it was the testator’s intention even though someone else was pulling the strings.  Steven groaned at how people could be so stupid to think it was someone was able to give their consent when really they didn’t even have a choice.

Klaus and Steven have seen binded contract professions in the past.  However, the only jobs that they were able to this type of illegal agreement is used, is mostly within whore houses that are run by the mafia.  Mostly they would have them agree to never leave the profession otherwise they would be drowning in a sea of debt, or worse. Sometimes they would force their employees to pay expensive monthly dues as well.  However, it looks like the Mamiya’s don’t make them do that. But forcing them to pay an outrageous fine just because they want to quit is another thing. But because they are a prestigious family who can pull at the laws strings like a twisted puppet master the law can’t touch them even though the agreement is illegal.  

However, it was after the trio was told about the contracts that became rather interesting.  The mistress was willing to pay them in advance for working at the estate. Not only that, she even offered Yuuna to have her younger brother transferred to their hospital instead!  It gets better though, since she told her that their organ transfer operations are advanced her brother could be on the operating table in just a few short days! Yuuna immediately accepted Mamiya’s offer in a heartbeat.  That pretty much eliminates his and Zapp’s suspicions of her faking her love for her brother just to keep the money for herself. Yuuna is a lot like Leona, and that she is a very family oriented person who really cares for her baby brother.  However, this seemed way too good to be true, and Steven was sure Leona felt the same way. He decided that tomorrow he is going to look into the Mamiya run hospitals. There was no way that a hospital could have an a liver that would be compatible with her brother’s in that short amount of time.  She made it seem way too convenient. This had shady written all over this, and Steven would know!

After that, he finally got to know what Leona’s main job would be while she is staying at the mansion.  It is heavily implied that she will be looking after beyondian like creatures while she is there. But, first the mistress wants her to take care of a huma first for the remainder of the week, Kind of like a trial period.  He also got to know what was behind the door that got Leona so spooked. What was behind the door was scary, but in the heartbreaking way. The poor man that Leona would be looking after was nothing more than a skeleton! The man called chris, looked like he hadn’t been fed in years, and it would seem he hadn’t seen a natural sunlight in a long time other since he was as pale as a sheet.  Steven saw through Leona’s eyes what she had done for the man that day. She cleaned his cell, washed his body, and fed him a hot meal. Leona was really going above and beyond for this man and not just because she had a mission to complete, but because she saw a sick man in need who was in desperate need of compassion and loving care. She even went as far as to appeal to the mistress to give him better treatment.  Even though Marisa didn’t treat her ideas to kindly, the Mistress agreed to Leona’s terms and allowed her to take control of their prisoners needs.

Even though information about Chris is currently unknown, Steven suspected that he may have been another poor unfortunate soul who got suckered into the Mamiya’s advertisement.  He must have tried to quit but it backfired big time. Steven suspected that, in order to pay off his debt the Mamiya’s had to sell him instead. Yet another shady business deal the Mamiya’s are involved with, Human Trafficking.  But it would seem that the Mistress is having a difficult time trying to find the right buyer for him.

‘Hopefully, we’ll be able to get him out of there before that happens.’ Steven thought.

Today’s video proved to be very promising.  With the amount of evidence they are getting, it should be more than enough to put the Mamiya’s behind bars for good.  With that, he ate his dinner, took a quick shower and hopped into bed. However, before he could get to sleep he quickly remembered some very important information.  In the video, the Mamiya’s mentioned something about an annual summer party that the Mamiya’s throw. Many of their benefactors, friends, business partners, CEOs and much more are invited to attend as long as the had the money and connections.  This little info gave Steven an amazing idea. He had to make some calls and pull a few strings but he was more than certain he could pull it off. Steven knew that this little stunt was going to make Klaus and Leona very, very happy.

Steven layed back on the bed with a smile on his face.

“You are such a good friend, Steven.” he said before going into a deep sleep.   


	12. Chapter 12

Leona woke up the next morning feeling very ecstatic.  The last few mornings was hard for her to even crawl out of bed because she dreaded whatever task The Mistress and her daughters had in store for her.  However, now that Leona’s official job started yesterday taking care of Chris made her feel sublimely happy! Yesterday, she was able to show her new ward the compassion he desperately needed.  And thanks to Leona’s heartfelt request to The Mistress for better accommodations for Chris, she was sure it would help him make a fast recovery. For once she was able to be of help to someone in this dreadful mansion.

Leona had to get up an hour early so she could start preparing Chris’ meals for the day.  Most people would dread waking up at five in the morning, but Leona didn’t mind. Besides, the sun was rising anyway and because she was so excited to put her cooking skills to the test she was going to wake up anyway.  However, Sonic wasn’t exactly an early bird and didn’t really appreciate getting kicked out of his makeshift bed of Leona’s hair. He grumbled crankily and glared at his mistress for disturbing his banana filled dreams. Even though Leona felt bad for waking him up she couldn’t help but find his pouting puffy cheeks cute.

“Oops! Sorry Sonic.  Why don’t you go back to sleep?  I’ll give you your breakfast later.”

Sonic grumbled a few hoots and immediately went back to sleep.

Leona did her morning ritual then went straight to the kitchen to get Chris’ breakfast ready.  When she got there Mikako was already up making breakfast for everyone. When she heard the door open she turned around and greeted Leona with her usual sweet smile.

“Good morning, Leona.  What are you doing up so early, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’m going to get started on making Chris’ meals for the day.” Said Leona with enthusiasm.

For a moment she heard Mikako’s breath hitch at the sound of Chris’ name.

“I see, I’m sorry you have to wake up so early for this.”

“Oh, I don’t mind.  If it means I’m helping making Chris healthy again, I’m willing to put in the extra work!  The Mistress even said she’ll give him some clothes and a cot to sleep on too.”

Even though Leona was saying all the good things The Mistress was willing to do for her to help Chris, Mikako had a sullen look on her face.

“That’s… great news Leona…”

“You don’t sound like it is, Mikako.”

“Oh! It is, it is!  But… just as a warning, please… try not too get to attached to him.”

Leona was kind of confused.  She knew that the Mistress was going to try to sell him off to settle his debt.  However, since she was planning to get him out along with the rest of the missing persons, she felt that Mikako’s uncertainty was unnecessary.  However, She didn’t want Mikako to fret over her junior anymore than she already has. So, she agreed.

“Good… well, I don’t want to keep you any further from your duties.  Once your done, your breakfast will be ready.”

“Thanks Mikako!”

 

As much as Leona wanted to make her famous French toast, she felt that her new friend wasn’t ready to eat any rich foods quite yet.  She figured he would be ready to eat more hearty meals the next day. But for now, she was making a bowl of delicious oatmeal with cinnamon and blueberries for breakfast, along with a glass of water and some orange juice.  He was still pretty dehydrated, and she wanted him a good amount of fluids throughout the day. His other dishes would be very simple to make since they were all fairly light until he felt well enough to eat meals that are on the medium side.

Once Leona finished making breakfast, she made her way to the basement to feed her ward.  When she opened the cellar door, he was still asleep. It was still pretty early, so she expected it.  Leona didn’t want to disturb him so she left the breakfast tray by his side so he could eat it later. In the meantime, she decided to empty and clean out his waste bucket.  Even though, she wasn’t a fan of this part of the job, at least it didn’t smell that bad like the room did when she first went in. Once she finished her task, she quietly left the basement to move onto the garden.  When Leona stepped out she noticed Sachie leaning against the wall with her usual cigarette in hand.

“Leona!  I didn’t expect you to come work on the garden this morning.  I thought you were helping out the family “pet” in the basement.”

Leona didn’t find that little nickname amusing one bit.  “He isn’t a pet, Sachie. Even you’re not that stupid to think that way about him.”

“Watch it honey, when you’re not watching over Marisa’s favorite punching bag, I’m still your senior.”

Leona rolled her eyes.  “Right...wait, you mentioned Chris was Marisa punching bag?”

Sachie puffed out her cigarette smoke.  “Well yeah, Lady Marisa was taking care of him before you arrived.  And I use the word, ‘taking care’ very lightly.”

Leona wasn’t at all surprised by what Sachie told her.  Of course Marisa abused poor Chris before she came to the mansion.  The proof was in the pudding by how thin he was, as well as the bruises that were on his body.  Not only that it looked like he hasn’t been out of those chains in so long that his ankles were chafing.

“But, I see you quite the improvement over Marisa.  A little birdie told me that you groveled at The Mistress’s feet just to give him better essentials.”

“Well, sort of yeah.  But, what could I do? The poor man’s starving and he’s cold in that damp basement.  If Marisa continued being his caregiver he would have keeled over before I would have gotten the chance to help him.”

Sachie sighed after she put out her cigarette.  “Look, I’m glad you’re helping him out and all, but he kind of had it coming.”

“How can you say that?!  No one one deserves what he’s going through!  Whatever he did couldn’t have been that bad to deserve a punishment like that.”

“He broke the rules, Leo.  And trust me, with the Mamiya’s contracts and everything, he obviously pissed them off enough to be kept as their prisoner until a buyer is found for him.”

This whole conversation was making Leona queasy.  She remembered reading her contract clear as day, and the penalty she would receive if she wanted to quit.  However, there was not much else to go by after that. She kind of knew that there would probably be other punishments if there was any damage done to the property caused by a servant.  However, what Chris did to warrant that kind of extreme punishment was a total mystery to Leona. She would have to ask Chris about it eventually. She just hoped he would be mentally well enough to talk about it with her.

“Welp…” Sachie stretched as she turned to go back inside.  “That last cigarette is making me crave a nice cup of coffee right now.  You can take care of the garden yourself, can’t ya?”

“You’re not going to help?”

“Oh, I’d love to help, really!  But since you did such a good job tending the grounds these past few days, I’d only get in your way.”

She said it in a way to give Leona praise for her hard work.  However, She knew Sachie was only making up excuses. Again!

“Yeah right… I need the alone time anyway.”

“Awesome!  Later, Leo~”

Leona begrudgingly swept the trail of leaves while Sachie went to go get a coffee.

‘I think I should tell her to just call me Leona, her friendship card has been revoked.’

 

Leona found her employer and fellow servants at the dining table for breakfast once she was done with her garden work.

“Ah, Leona!  All bright eyed and rosy cheeked from working in the garden I take it?”

“It’s starting to become my favorite chore, ma’am.”

Leona was being honest.  She hated being inside the mansion and even though she can’t go outside the gates, she felt the taste of freedom when she was out in the fresh air.  She wanted Chris to experience that little bit of freedom too. Hopefully it would put some color back into his cheeks.

“Yes well, I’m glad to hear that.  But, I think you’ll be happy to know that the items you’ve requested have arrived last night.  You can retrieve them from my office once you are done with breakfast.”

Leona smiled with such joy.  It did her heart good to know that Chris will be able have the necessities needed to get better.

“What did you ask for, Leo?”  Yuuna asked out of curiosity.

Leona didn’t really know how to answer that question.  The Mistress swore her to secrecy about her job as Chris caregiver.  However, before she was able to come up with an excuse, Marie answered Yuuna’s question for her.

“Oh, it’s just some equipment to make Leona’s job a little easier.”

“And what is her job, exactly?”  Yukito asked that question while staring directly at Leona.  But he didn’t ask out of harmless curiosity, he asked out of suspicion.  Yukito thought of Leona as a woman of mystery. But not in the attractive way like the fem fatales in the movies.  Ever since the party, he had his suspicions of her. Even though he appreciated her standing up for them when they tried to confront the Mistress yesterday, he still thought that something wasn’t quite right with her.  Especially, with her interaction with a dog who only likes women but was deathly afraid of her. Just who is Leona, and why is she even here?

The Mistress snapped Yukito out of his accusatory gaze to answer his question.

“Leona has been charged with a task only she can do.  That is all you need to know. Now, everyone eat up! We have a busy day ahead of us.  You and Yuuna will start your training this afternoon so, you’ll want to finish your regular tasks this morning.”

While, Leona was glad she didn’t have to explain her situation to her co-workers she knew that they would ask her again when The Mistress wasn’t around.  She could tell them but she didn’t know if they were really capable of keeping a secret. Yuuna, maybe but, Yukito was another story.

But, Leona was going to have to worry about that later, she wanted to finish her breakfast so she can get Chris’ meals prepped and to give him his new clothes and set up his cott.  Also, she Kyouichi and Mikako would do their little morning “ritual” and she did not want to be there for that!

 

Once Leona finished her breakfast, she went straight to work on cooking Chris’ lunch and dinner.  The chicken broth with rosemary and bread seemed to have raised his spirits a little bit. It still seemed too soon to eat anything rich, so she figured for lunch she would make the same paninis that Mikako made but a little light on the olive oil and cheese.  For dinner, she was thinking of a light creamy mushroom soup with low fat milk.

‘Yep, I think today’s menu is good on Chris’ second day on his road to recovery.’

Leona got straight to work with a spring in her step.  She also thought that when she took him outside for his walk around the garden it would put some color back into his cheeks.  Fortunately these meals are very simple to make and once she was done with prep she she’ll put them in the fridge and would warm them up later.

Leona made her way to the Mistress’ office once she completed the food preparations.  She was able to get the new clothes, and the cott. Marie offered to have Makoto help her move the package with the cott parts, and she accepted.  She could have done so herself but her superhuman, blood breed strength would have given her away. Makoto and Leona carefully carried the cargo down to the basement.  However, She carried most of the packages weight more than her co-worker. She really did wonder how he was able to last this long in this damnable place? Leona’s heart went out to the poor lad.  This family had damaged this boy in more ways than one. Not only did they perform those awful procedures on his genitalia, but their abuse had caused him to have a very unhealthy fixation with his mother.  The way he looked at Mikako still made her stomach roil. Even though Leona had been in the mansion for a short time she still didn’t know why he was working alongside his mom. Was their financial situation that bad that he had no choice but to work to help out his parents.  Not only that she didn’t know anything about Mikako’s husband either.

‘It would no doubt more than break his heart if he saw what was going on with his wife and son…’  Leona thought with a heavy heart.

Soon enough they were in the basement and once they reached the cellar door they carefully dropped the cott equipment and clothes.

“Whoo...I’m sorry I wasn’t much help in carrying this package. You mostly did all the work, while I just carried the small corners.  You really are very strong, Leona. I’m kinda jealous, actually.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself.  It would have taken me all day to carry this damn thing.  I’m grateful for your help.”

The blond servant blushed at her kind words.  “Oh! Um...thanks...uh if there’s anything else I could do to help, you can ask me any time.”

As underhanded it may seem, Leona thought it’d be a good time to subtly ask about why he’s working here.

“Actually, I am kind of curious about something.  It’s been on my mind since I came here.”

“Sure, fire away.”

“Did you and your mom come to the mansion together?  Or did you come a little later than she has?”

Leona could see the blood drain from Makoto’s cheeks.

“Uh…. why do you want to know?”

“Oh! I’m sorry!  I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.  It’s just with how bizarre this family is, I thought you and your mom would quit ages ago.”

Makoto lowered his head as a dark shadow came across his face.

“Leona…. I really do want to help you out while your here…. but there are some answers that I just can’t give you…. I have to get back to work…. I don’t want to get in trouble again.”

And with that, he ran out of the basement as fast as he could.  Leona let out a frustrated sigh.

“Way to use the subtle approach, Leona!”

Something was definitely wrong with the Nonohara’s working in this place.  Leona needed to know why Mikako and her son were here. But, there was no way Makoto will tell her.  Maybe Mikako would be more willing to talk about it with her. But this mystery would have to wait another time.  Right now she had a sick man to take care of.

Leona opened the door to Chris’ cellar and much to her delight,  he was alert when she entered the room. Well he wasn’t too alert, but thanks to the meal she gave him yesterday and by the looks of the empty bowl on the food tray he was a bit more energized.

“I’m glad to see you ate your breakfast this morning!”

Chris stared at her with an absent minded smile.

“Good morning, Leona…. breakfast was…. tasty… thank you.”

His sweet reply made Leona feel all warm inside.

“Your very welcome, Chris.  I talked to the Mistress yesterday, and she agreed to making your conditions more comfortable.  I have your cot and mattress outside, and I have your new clothes too! You can put them on, while I get your cot all set up.”

Chris’ eyes opened wide.

“You did all this for me…. I, I don’t know what to say….”

“Don’t worry about it!  I’m glad to help you out.  Also, this afternoon we’ll be taking a walk in the garden so you can get your exercise.”

“I’ll get to go outside?  I feel like it been ages since I’ve seen the sunshine.”

By how pale Chris looked it did seem a lot longer than just ages.  But hopefully, that will change.

 

By the time Leona had finished setting up Chris’ bed it was already noon.  She thought now would be a good time to take him outside into the garden. She unlocked the shackles that were on ankles and helped him to his feet and to get him dressed.  His clothes were just a simple t-shirt and shorts. Although they were simple it was better than him being naked. He was still weak from the lack of nutrition and exercise, so Leona held on to him in order to steady his balance.  As they made their way onto the estate grounds she remembered what The Mistress said that morning and that everyone should be in the lesson room right now training the newbies. Leona was worried by what the “training” was. But she knew she would find out later.  But for now, the garden was awaiting Chris.

As they were walking down the halls of the mansion to the front door, a look of great disdain came across Chris’ face.

“I see this place hasn’t changed one bit…”

“I don’t blame you for hating this place, but we’re almost outside and it will be good for you to get some of that vitamin D on those cheeks.”

Chris knew that Leona was trying very hard to brighten his mood, but after what this family did to him he desperately wished that the mansion would have some decay.  But his hopes were dashed. The Mamiya’s were as rich as ever and there was no doubt in his mind that the money they were making was blood money from the people they have exploited over the years.  

Once they reached the entrance, Leona tried to open the door while trying to keep Chris from falling.  He noticed she was having trouble so he leant her a hand. It was very bright outside and that made his eyes very sensitive.

“Let's walk a little bit, your eyes will adjust shortly.”

Leona was right.  After a few blinks, his eyes began adjust more to the sunlight.  And when they have finally gotten used to it they opened wide. He slowly stepped away from Leona’s arms as he walked slowly towards the center of the garden.  He was still a bit wobbly on his feet but Leona stood behind him in case he started to stumble, but then he stopped. In that moment, he took a deep breath, lifted his head high and stretched his arms wide open.  When Leona walked in front of him, what she saw wasn’t the pathetic and weak prisoner that she tasked to take care of. But instead, she saw a man who felt the small sensation of freedom. After being in that damp basement for so long he had forgotten what sunlight had felt like on his skin.  The look on his face was that of pure euphoria. He had tears running down his cheeks but he also had a wide smile on his face and was laughing. Leona’s heart hurt at the sight. Even though she was happy he was finally able to go outside after all this time, she knew that this small taste of freedom would be taken away.  After all they were only given a twenty-five minute time limit on their little walk.

She was taken out of her thoughts by the sound of Chris’ voice.  “How long….oh how long has it been since I’ve actually felt the sun on my face?  I….I feel….so….”

As he tried to take another step he stumbled and was about to fall, but Leona managed to catch him in time before the impact.  She could feel the poor man shaking like a leaf and his heart was beating so fast she feared it would stop from the excitement of being outside.

“Woah, woah! Try to take it easy…. I know you're excited, but you haven’t fully recovered yet.  Let’s just take things one step at a time, okay?”

Chris looked at her with a tear stained face.  “You’re right….I’m….sorry for causing too much trouble.”

“Don’t be.  You have every right to feel this way after being locked up for so long.  How about we walk about the garden for a bit?”

“Yes, that would be nice.”

The pair walked about the garden for the first ten minutes.  He was really admiring the flowers the Mamiya’s had in their garden.  Not only was he deprived of natural sunlight, but deprived of natural beauty too.  All that he had was a concrete room filled with nothing but emptiness and sorrow. He was glad he was given the chance to admire the organic life that surrounded him for a little while.  They even passed Cerberus’ dog house, and judging by his usual unwelcoming growl, Chris didn’t get along with him either.

“This dog is still alive?  Pity.”

“I’m guessing you had a difficult time with Cerberus too?”

“He hated me the moment he laid eyes on me.”

Leona was getting annoyed with the dog’s growling so she did her usual trick to shut him up.  Once he looked into the blood breeds eyes, he went running for his dog house.

“Wow….I guess he isn’t a fan of you either.  It’s strange normally he likes women. He liked Layla to the point where he humped her leg….I really wanted to kill the mutt when she told me.”

“Cripes…. I don’t blame you.  Seriously, Marisa is that much of a neglectful owner not to have her dog neutered.”

“As you can tell, the family doesn’t really care for that sort of thing.  But I’m curious, what did you do to make him so afraid of you.”

She knew that he would ask, so she thought up of a pretty decent excuse.  “It’s probably because I’m from Hellsalem’s Lot. I think some of the magic residue from the city may have rubbed off on me somehow.”

Chris’ eyes opened wide at her mentioning the city’s name.  “You’re from Hellsalem’s Lot?! So am I!”

“Really!?  Holy crap, I’d never thought I’d see a citizen here!  This is a really cool coincidence.”

“Well actually, I was born and raised in New York City before the great collapse happened.”

“Wow!  I can’t believe it!  You survived the great collapse?”

Chris looked down at his feet his face covered in guilt.  “Well, I wasn’t there when it happened. Me and Layla were visiting her sister’s for the New Year’s holiday when it happened.”

“You keep mentioning Layla’s name.  Was she your girlfriend?”

“My wife….”

“Oh….do you… wanna walk about it?”

“I guess this was bound to happen sooner or later….sure.”

  

Leona and Chris sat in a shady spot in the grass.  From what Chris’ had told her before, he was born and raised in New York City before the Great Collapse had happened three years ago.  He pretty much lived the American childhood that Leona and her brother had lived. His family was upper middle-class, lived in a nice apartment in Manhattan, rode his bike to and from school, he was friends with the neighbors kids and even had a childhood bully that lived down the block.  Yep, the complete childhood package wrapped up in a neat little bow. However, he was pretty average in school and a lot of his friends and teachers never really believed that he would succeed in life. Chris was a daydreamer, and wished for more out of life than the expectations his teachers and parents had for him.  But, he had other big dreams. He wanted to travel and learn things that he could not get out of books. However, his parents were really adamant that he enrolled in AP classes in high school, so he could attend the best college And then go on to become a lawyer like his father or a nurse practitioner like his mother.  Chris didn’t want that. He didn’t like the idea of being tied down in one place. He was the kind of guy who liked to keep on moving. But, his parents were not happy about that. When he was seventeen and was about to start his senior year, he had a big argument with his parents. They enrolled him in all the difficult classes as well as the AP courses at his school.  Not only that they set him up with SAT practice on the weekends. He would have had little to no time to himself because of his very demanding schedule. That night, he took his savings from working his part time jobs, filled a duffle bag with his clothes and some books, and took the midnight bus to Rhode Island.

 When he arrived at his destination he didn’t really have much of a plan.  He was a seventeen year old nobody with only four hundred dollars to his name.  If he wanted to travel the country he still needed to keep his stomach full and keep a roof over his head.  Fortunately, he kept his resume on his person so finding odd jobs to keep his funds in tact weren’t an issue.  And fortunately there were plenty of youth hostels on the cheap side he could stay at. Even though they would have very little privacy he would more time outside sightseeing or working his odd jobs that he would only stay there at night.  Chris finally made a good plan to pursue his travel dream. He figured once he made enough money from his odd jobs he would move onto the next state via a train, bus, or plane. The first few months were a bit rough at first. This kind of lifestyle was still very new to him and this was the first time striking out on his own without his parents support, but he was able to get by.  And even though he had his doubts he still went through with his crazy adventures. Once he finally got into the rhythm of his new adventurous lifestyle it became as easy as breathing to him. The first few years he traveled alone. He did make friends while he hopped from state to state but he didn’t really keep in touch with them after he left. It was becoming a rather lonely and he wanted to share his love of adventure with a special someone.  However, all of that changed when he turned nineteen. He finally found his kindred spirit in Layla Hunter. She was a photographer just like Leona, but she was a travel photographer. Kind of like being a photojournalist or a blogger. Just like Chris, she was not satisfied with the humdrum life that her parents and peers expected of her. He met her at one of his odd jobs as a clerk at a secondhand bookstore. He recommended one of the books about their current location.  (which was Camden, Maine) they pretty much got on like a house on fire once they’ve discussed their love for traveling. In a way, it was a love at first sight scenario for the two of them. Real life never really work out like they do in fairytales, but for Chris and Layla it really was like a fairytale romance come to life. So the couple started traveling together. They traveled around the country in her van. Thanks to Layla’s big vehicle they were able to camp out and that saved them big money hotels and other lodging.  Fortunately, washing their laundry and bathrooms weren’t an issue for them. They only used hotel lodging when they really needed to. But, their time together traveling was a great adventure for the happy couple. After three years of traveling together, Chris decided it was time to make their relationship official. While they were in Montreal he proposed to her. She accepted once he showed her the ring. It was a private affair, they mostly just went to the courthouse in California to get their marriage certificate. While Chris was hoping to have kids, Layla was unfortunately sterile and couldn’t have babies of her own.  But that little fact did not change his love for her one bit. He was willing to let them continue their free spirited lifestyle and if they wanted to have kids in the future they could adopt or hire a surrogate. However, there adventurous life came to a sudden halt. The great Collapse of New York caused them to stop their travels. Chris needed to know if his parents were okay.

Once the casters were able to suspend the collapse and things settled down, Chris and Layla made their way to the city.  However, it was not the same New York from his childhood. Heck, it wasn’t even New York anymore. He and His new bride tried to find the apartment building that he grew up in, but because the collapse caused so many of the city’s landmarks and buildings to be rearranged that it was hard to find it.  However, while they were on their search they did have some fun. They made new friends both huma and beyondian. They even experienced beyondian cuisine too! The nightlife was also a lot of fun and the couple liked to spend every other weekend dancing the night away at those clubs. Hellsalem’s Lot was the place where they spent their time the longest on their travels.  In fact, They were their so long that Chris had forgotten why he came here. He remembered why when he and Layla passed by a familiar building. It was the same apartment where he spent his seventeen years of his life. The landlord was still there too. Turns out he was away for the winter holidays during the time of the collapse just like Chris and Layla. Fortunately the landlord recognized him.  Apparently he still had the same baby face he had as a teenager.

Leona was surprised the man telling her this had a baby face!  He only looks older now because of the malnutrition.

However, when Chris asked if his parents were still there, the landlord told him with a heavy heart, that he hadn’t seen his parents since he came back from his holiday.  He told Chris and Layla to visit the memorial in Central Park. It was dedicated to the citizens and casters who lost their lives during the collapse. They left for the memorial immediately, but Chris was hoping with all his soul that his parents name weren’t there.  But when they made it to the memorial…. Henry and Rebecca Davis….parents of Chris Davis, were etched right into the stone that was surrounded by the the flowers dedicated to the dead. This bitter news completely crushed the poor man. He had so much that he regretted about his relationship with his parents.  He wished he didn’t run away…. he wished he said goodbye to his parents…. he wished things didn’t end so bitterly between them like they did. Layla was his rock during his time of grief. She kept telling him, that his parents would be glad he’s still alive and is doing well on his own. He may not be a successful lawyer like his dad, but he was living his dream while keeping himself fed and healthy.  Chris was so grateful for his lover and best friend’s support. However, because they were there in the city longer than they would stay on their normal destinations they were feeling the itch. It was time to move on.

In a few short years they were able to travel all over the North American continent.  Chris and Layla wanted to travel overseas to Europe now. However, because they spent so long in Hellsalem’s Lot, they burned through their savings pretty fast and they couldn’t even afford a cheap flight to France.  They wanted to go to Europe so badly that they decided to put their travel blogging jobs on hold and get some good paying jobs to better support their travels. That was when Chris came across the Mamiya’s infamous advertisements that Leona and the rest of Libra looked into.  When he called the Mamiya’s number and got the info of the payment, it was an offer he couldn’t refuse. And with him and Layla working there they would be more than set for Europe. Layla was reluctant at first, she thought it was some kind of scam. But Chris told her that in just two weeks they would be in Paris, France living the high life and jet setting the rest of Europe in style with their combined earnings.  This was such a tempting offer that Layla eventually agreed. When they got to the mansion they got the same disrespectful greeting from Marisa like she gave Leona. And their interviews were the same as Yukito and Yuuna’s. It started out as normal but, as always in this place everything went to hell. The interview was going so fast that they couldn’t even think about leaving. The next thing they knew, they were servants to the Mamiya’s.  Their time there was as Leona expected…. cruel and ruthless. It was sex and torture non-stop for the first week they were there. By the end of the first week Layla was losing her mind. Chris found her in a fetal position in their room constantly muttering she couldn’t take it anymore. Chris felt guilty his precious soulmate was feeling this way, that he couldn’t make her go through this anymore. They ultimately decided to run away into the night and that they would make it to Europe on their own steam and not through this humiliating job.  They would have taken Layla’s van but the family destroyed it so they couldn’t leave. They had leave on foot. They managed to make a good distance down the mountain and were halfway to the nearest town. Things were looking up for the couple. However, that all changed when Chris’ bracelet started beeping. Apparently, the Mistress had tracking devices in the bracelets. That way the servants would be bound the estate and if any of the servants stepped foot outside the gates the bracelet would alert the Mistress. She only made them think they had a sporting chance at escaping.  Another, example of the Mistress’ sadistic cruelty. The bracelets also had a device that gave the wearer an electric shock via a remote that the Mistress possessed. The next thing Chris knew, he was in that damp cell in the basement. Because of their stunt, they accumulated so much debt. According to the contact, if the employee were to escape the mansion they owed the family eight hundred thousand dollars each! Since neither of them had that kind of money they had to be sold off. Once he was placed in that cell, he never saw Layla again.

 

“Well, that’s my story….”

Leona had fat tears rolling down her face.  “That was the saddest story I ever heard….”

Leona took the handkerchief from her bodice and blew her nose.

Chris felt a lump in his throat too.  Remembering all the wonderful times he had with his beloved Layla made him regret throwing the life they had away for this fucked up job.  

“I never should have picked up that advertisement….* _sniffle*_ they never even let me say goodbye to her!  They won’t even tell me where she is…. I don’t know if she’s been sold off or if she’s….she’s…..”

In that moment, Leona gave Chris a hug.  He and Layla had a life filled with so much adventure, and their love for each other was so pure and it was  all taken away by Marie Mamiya and her fucked up family!

“I’m sorry Chris…. I would let you go right now if I could, but….”

Chris put his face in Leona’s soft mane.  “I know…. but I don’t want you to get in trouble.  And besides…. Living in a world without Layla, is a world I don’t want to live in….”

Leona understood him perfectly.  If anything were to happen to her Klaus, she would have a difficult time moving on too.

She felt Chris gripping her uniform tightly, as she felt him shaking.

“I should have paid that bitch when I had the chance!”

Leona took her head off his shoulder and looked him in the eye.

“What do you mean, Chris?  Paid who?”

Chris’ eyes narrowed as he remembered the woman well.

“The blue haired woman.  Sachie is her name, I think.”

Leona gasped when he said her name.  “I don’t understand, why would you need to pay her?”

“She was willing to give me some information if I paid her every scrap of cash that I had brought with me.  I said no and that was that. She left me and Layla to our own devices.”

Leona felt her fangs unsheathed from her gums.  She and Sachie were going to have a very long chat.

 

When their time limit was up, Chris was feeling tired and wanted to take a nap before his evening meal.  Leona left him to rest in his cell. The training session would be done soon so she waited in front of Sachie’s room.  She figured her senior would come here once her duties in the lesson room were done.

Leona’s prediction turned out to be true.  Right on time she noticed Sachie walking down the hall towards her room.

When Sachie approached her door she was very surprised to see her junior leaning against the wall.

“Hey, Leo!  I thought you were still doing your main duties?  Have you finished them up already?”

Leona gave Sachie a steely glare.  She wasn’t in the mood for her little games.  “I’m taking a break right now. But that’s not important, we need to talk.”

Sachie became rather intimidated by Leona’s tone, but she thought that since she was tiny she shouldn’t take her too seriously.

She yawned and stretched out her arms.  “Gee, I really would like to chat with you, but that servant lesson really did tire me out.  I’m sure you understand, right? Maybe later we could-”

Just as the head maid was about to reach for the doorknob, Leona snatched her wrist tightly to the point it was really hurting her.

“Oww! What the-”

“That wasn’t a request!”  Leona shouted with irritation.  Leona was determined to get the answers from Sachie.

Leona dragged Sachie into her room and pushed her on the bed then she quickly locked the door before Sachie could get to it.

“What the hell, Leona!?  What’s with the third degree?!”

Leona gave her a fierce look that left Sachie speechless.  ‘What the hell’s with this runt!?  I thought she would be more the submissive type because of how shy she was when we first met!  And what’s with her eyes? I guess you really can’t judge a book by it’s cover.’

Sachie was snapped out of her thoughts when Leona started speaking to her.

“I had a pretty interesting conversation with Chris today while we were out on our walk.”

“I’m sorry, who?”  Sachie asks with faux innocence.

Leona slammed her hand on the table near her bed.  “Don’t play dumb with me, Sachie! You know damn well whom I’m talking about!  Chris and Layla were your co-workers before I started working here. He told me that you were going to give him very important information about this place, but only if he was willing to pay you with every cent that he had, correct?”

Sachie turned pale.  ‘The bastard ratted me out?!’  She tried to think of an excuse.

“Please, why would you believe that loser?  He’s been rotting in that basement for almost a year now and has clearly lost his mind.  He’s obviously trying to play you just so you could feel sorry for him.”

“He wasn’t lying….if he really did lose his mind he would have forgotten your name long ago.  But he clearly remembers you and managed to get your name right. If you want to continue making up bullshit excuses go ahead but, I will call you out on them.”

Leona’s senior started shaking and getting pretty irritated, however, she took a deep breath and gave her a cocky smirk.

“Wow, you really are quite the detective aren’t you?  I guess your time with the police must have really bumped up those investigation skills.  Yeah….okay, I did ask him for a little compensation for my help. Happy now?”

Leona barred her fangs and lunged straight at her.  “Big. Mistake. Sachie. I am the last person you ever want to piss off!”

Leona’s fangs were tingling in her gums and her claws began growing so long that they were painfully digging into skin.

Sachie was becoming terrified at her co-workers transformation.  “What are you!?.....Just what the hell are you?!”

“That doesn’t matter!  You’re going to tell me everything you know about these damn bracelets and the people that the Mamiya’s have trapped here.  And if you think you’re going to get compensated for this, think again!”

Sachie was so scared that she did what Leona asked of her.  She told her about the tracking device as well as the electric shock device that was inside the bracelet.  But, Leona already knew about that part from Chris. However, Sachie told her that the bracelets also had an explosive device in them and if the wearer tries to force the bracelet off it would set off the device and the explosion would take a good chunk of the wearer off because of the blast.  Leona had trouble buying it at first but Sachie said that she had seen it happen once.

She asked if there was a way for the wearer to remove the bracelet without force but the intimidated maid, told her the bracelets can only be removed via a code that the Mistress only knew.  Leona decided to search the inner workings of her bracelet with her all-seeing eyes later. For now Leona thought it was high time to get some info on the missing persons.

“The Mistress, gave me a trial run for my main job here.  Even though I’m charged with looking after Chris this week, I know that next week I will be tasked to look after certain “creatures” that she has in her possession.  There is no doubt in my mind that they are the beyondians that have gone missing from Hellsalem’s Lot. Tell me Sachie, during your time here, have you seen any of them come and go?”

“Hmph, you’re not exactly a good detective, are you?  You mentioned that you found one of their advertisements in the city, right?  Obviously, they came here the same as you did!”

Sachie was wrong.  Clearly being on the outside and never been to Hellsalem’s Lot, she was unaware of the cities laws.

“You’re lying, Sachie.  You see, in Hellsalem’s Lot there are very few ways to leave the city.  All trains leading out of the city have been destroyed during the great collapse.  The only way to get out is the bridge. Not only that, many of the beyondians that emerged from the alterworld are not really allowed to leave unless they’ve been given special permission or if they’ve obtained a passport.  However, obtaining permission is very difficult, especially for the more disenfranchised beyondians. And according to the police reports many of them were not qualified to obtain permission, so they could not have come here like I did.”

Sachie was really getting annoyed, if the Mistress saw how intelligent she really was she would lose her cozy position for sure!

“Well…. Okay, yeah you may have a point.  But how did those advertisements get within city limits if those creatures can’t leave the city?”

“I’m not to sure yet.  But, I have a feeling it might be someone who is well acquainted with the family.  Not only that, but they are in a position of power within Hellsalem's Lot and clearly have the money to place the flyers in the magazines and newspapers within Hellsalem’s Lot.  Whoever is behind that is also responsible for being able to get the missing beyondians outside the city undetected. I’m sure you know more than what you have been letting on, Sachie.  People’s lives are at stake!”

“Okay, okay!  There have been one time where I was able to see a little bit of what they looked like.  But I only made sure that the Mistress did not see me while the transactions went down. About ten months ago,  This weird cat girl thing came to the estate and she was dropped off at the estate via a black van. But, she had someone with her, a man, I think.  The mistress handed the guy an envelope, probably with cash in it. She was leading it into the mansion but I hid in the utility closet so I wouldn’t get caught.  However I couldn’t really see what was going on, but I did hear something that sounded like the electricity from a taser, then a small scream, then nothing. I haven’t seen it around the estate since.”

Leona knew in her gut that the cat girl Sachie mentioned had to be Anna’s sister Angela.  The Madame of the cafe mentioned she had been missing for about ten months. She has to be here on the estate ground somewhere.  Their basement is huge, so she must be hidden there somewhere along with the other missing persons.

“Were you able to see, what the man looked like, Sachie?”

“Not really, he was pretty tall and thin, but that’s it.”

That didn’t really narrow down the list of suspects, but this was more information than what she was hoping for.  She let go of Sachie and let out a deep sigh.

“You know, if you would have told him what you told me, he wouldn’t have to deal with this bullshit right now.”

“Ugh, you’re still brooding over that?  Look, if the idiot would of just swallowed his pride and paid me, then yeah he probably would be fine!”

Leona stared at her blankly.  “I can’t believe you…. how can you be that selfish!?  Has working here caused you to be poisoned by the Mamiya’s toxic ideals that much?”

“Hey, that’s capitalism for ya sweetheart. Hell, I even offered to lower the price and to have sex with the guy.  But the dumb fuck was too stubborn.”

“Of course he wouldn’t have sex with you!  He’s a happily married man….or was anyway. Also, your lame excuse on capitalism is total bull.  In case you didn’t know, we’re all servants here! Don’t you think it makes sense to look out for one another?  Because from what I can tell, the Mamiya’s don’t give two two shits about their servants unless it’s to their own benefit.”

Sachie was quiet for a moment, but she started laughing.  “Please, I find the Mamiya’s way of “helping” others much more my speed!  If I am to help out some poor bastard, I might as well get some kind of reward?”

Leona couldn’t even feel angry at her anymore.  All she felt for this woman was pity. “You know, it really pains me that you feel this way.  You said you’ll be leaving once you’re term here is finished, right? Well, when you leave I think you should do some serious soul searching.”

“Thanks buuut…. no thanks!  Also, remember when you said you won’t be compensating me?  Actually, you are.”

Leona eyes narrowed.  “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re clearly not human.  I could tell by the fangs and claws.  Also your eyes are very unusual too, when you were holding me down I could see them change color.  I’m pretty sure The Mistress would pay me handsomely for handing over another one of Hellsalem’s freaks!”

Leona took a deep breath.  The room started shaking and Sachie lost her balance as she fell back on the bed.  In that moment Leona flashed her all-seeing-eyes-of-the-Gods to her.

“I had a feeling you would say that….but remember what I said,  I am the last person you want to mess with!”

Sachie turned pale as Leona eyes changed from godly blue to vampiric red.  “But, you’re one of them! You’re one of those monsters too!”

“It would seem The Mamiya’s haven’t seen one of my kind yet.  I am the blood breed, Merciful Red and this will be the first and last time you will hear of that name.

“Haha, there’s no way you’ll kill me, you don’t have the guts!”

“No, I won’t kill you.  But I won’t drink your blood either.  I have been given strict orders from my superiors not to feed off of anyone here.  But you will forget this conversation ever happened….”

Leona looked deep into Sachie’s eyes.  This was another skill Jack taught her….memory wipe.  With this Leona can use her blood breed skills as well as her eyes to take away a person's memories.  Fortunately, for Sachie she will only forget their conversation. When she wakes up, she will believe she just took a short nap.  

Leona laid her senior on her bed then locked her door on the way out.

 

Leona closed the door and leaned against the wooden frame.  That was way too close!

‘Steven is not going to be very happy that I nearly blew my cover.  But, since I gathered really great info concerning the missing person’s whereabouts and managed to wipe Sachie’s memory, I think I’ll only get a light scolding.’

As Leona walked to the kitchen to get Chris’ dinner ready she noticed a downtrodden Yukito carrying an an unconscious Yuuna on his back.  She guessed they must have finished their training in the lesson room.

“Yukito!  Are you guys okay?  What happened to Yuuna?”

Yukito gave Leona a similar death glare similar to the one she gave Sachie.  He ignored her question and continued on to Yuuna’s room so she could rest herself from the Mistress’ horrible training.

Leona didn’t really appreciate being ignored like that so she followed him to Yuuna’s room.

“Hey! C’mon Yukito.  Please, I want to help if I can, just tell me what’s wrong.”

The black haired young man place the unconscious girl in her bed the faced Leona.

“Well….that is the question, isn’t it, Leona? ‘Is there something wrong?’  Yes, there is! But it’s not like you care, right?”

Leona was confused by what he meant, but by the tone of his voice she can tell he was very upset with the training he and Yuuna received.

“Of course I care!  But I really don’t appreciate your tone right now.  I want to help, but you have to cooperate with me.”

Yukito started getting physically angry with her and started shaking.

“Don’t fucking tell me about my tone!  After today, I’ll use whatever goddamn tone I like!”

Yuuna started whimpering in her sleep.  It wouldn’t do anyone good with him carrying on like this.

“Shhh!  Okay, let’s take this outside so we don’t disturb her.”

After stepping out into the hallway, Leona repeated her question.  “Now tell me, what happened during training?”

Yukito rubbed the back of his neck, as he didn’t really know how to explain it.

“The lesson…. Yuuna…. she was repeatedly fucked in that room….”

Leona felt the blood drain from her face.  “You don’t mean….”

“Hmph!  Considering you’ve been here longer than we have I would have thought you would know by now.  That little welcoming party should have explained enough!”

“I’ve only been here  just as long as you guys have but only by one day!  But why would they force that kind of lesson on you guys?”

“Don’t you get it!? We’re trained to serve the family’s sexual needs!  But of course Yuuna had to bear the worst of it….”

“Oh god…. but why are you so mad at me?”

“While we were in the lesson room I noticed you and some other guy paling around in the garden.  I didn’t even see him when Yuuna first came to the mansion! But you seem to be rather chummy with him.”

Leona didn’t really like what he was implying.  Chris was a man who was sick and was in desperate need of tender loving care.

“Chris is a victim of the Mamiya’s.  He was a servant here, but when he tried to escape she forced a huge debt on him and he’s just waiting to be sold off.  He’s very sick and is in desperate need of my help.”

Yukito started laughing wickedly.  “Right! You say you’re helping him when you really mean….”  He then proceeded to make a very lewd stroking jester with his hand.  Leona was so shocked and angry that she stepped up to the disrespectful man and slapped his cheek.

“How dare you!?  I would never take advantage of him like that!  He is married and I’m in a steady relationship! How dare you even think that!?”

“I figured the Mistress would want you to do a little more than to just feed him and clean up his shit.”

Leona was as red as a tomato.  She did mention that Leona was responsible for taking care of his sexual needs as well.  She took a deep breath and tried to explain in a calm manner. “Yes, she did request that….But I didn’t touch him, nor do I plan to!”

That nasty smirk still didn’t leave his face.  “Hehe, considering you’ve already done it with three guys, you wouldn’t mind doing it a fourth time.”

Leona was ready to give him a blow to the stomach.  But, she was already worn out from her confrontation with Sachie, she didn’t want to put up Yukito’s unnecessary bullying.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that…. I have to go help Mikako prepare dinner now.  I don’t know why you think it’s okay to treat me like this, but if you’re doing this just to take your frustrations out on me…. It’s pretty fucking pathetic.”

And with that she left immediately for the kitchen to get Chris’ supper ready.  All that time she couldn’t stop thinking about what happened that day. First was Makoto’s reaction when she asked about why he was working here. Then Chris’ reasons as to why he’s the Mamiya’s prisoner, Her confrontation with Sachie and her fight with Yukito.  It was all too much to take in for one day. But despite being emotionally drained, she was quite pleased with her progress.

Leona was one step closer to finding the missing beyondians, and that was enough for her.  However, she couldn’t stop thinking about her time with Chris in the garden. Would she have let him go.  If she had things would have gotten more complicated with her mission, and of course Libra would have to come in and clean up her mess.  It was probably for the best that Chris stayed here for the duration of her mission. Since the Mistress was already having a difficult time trying to find a buyer, Leona should be able to get him out by the time Libra gets here.  And, hopefully they’ll be able to find Layla too. It was all thanks to her that Chris still remained sane while in captivity.

Once Leona was finished cooking Chris’ dinner she took the food tray down to him.  It would seem he had woken up from his nap a while ago and was reading the book the she leant him.  He put down his book and greeted his caretaker with a smile.

“Hi, Leona….is that my dinner for today?”

“Yep!  Creamy mushroom soup with one percent milk.  I hope you enjoy it!”

Leona was about to leave but Chris stopped her.  “Wait! You don’t have to leave yet. Mind staying with me till I’ve finished my food.  There’s a favor I would like to ask you.”

Leona sat down in front of him, curious as to what kind of favor he needed.

“What is it, Chris?”

“Well, it’s just you’ve been really kind and helpful to me these last few days….I honestly don’t feel like I deserve it.  But, this favor is really important to me, and I think you’re the only one who can do this. In case….in case anything happens to me, either if I’m sold off or….you know... I want to write her my final words to her. I haven’t been able to get a pen and paper since I’m stuck here in the basement.  Do you think you can get me those for me?”

Leona felt a heavy weight in her stomach.  Even though he did have a good point in case the worst does happen, but she was so hoping that, that will never happen.  However, she didn’t want to give him a false sense of hope, so she agreed to give him those things tomorrow.

“Thank you, Leona!  I really do hope that day doesn’t come to pass, but….you can never know with these things, especially around here.”

“I understand.  I hope that won’t happen either.  But like you said you never know. I will get you the things you need to write to her.”

“I’m glad you understand.  Oh! And one more thing? If I do happen to die here, you have to be the one to give her that letter.”

Leona grimaced.  She really didn’t want him to talk like that.  Even if it is just a precaution she really, really didn’t want to think about it.  He almost made it sound like he knows that he is going to die soon. But Leona remembered that she can change his fate.  He just had to make till next week and he will be free.

“Okay, I will.”

“You really are a saint, Leona.  Thank you.”

“I’m not exactly a saint, but I’ll accept the compliment.”

The rest of the time she just watched him eat his dinner in silence before he went back to sleep.  As she was taking the empty tray back to the kitchen she couldn’t help but worry over his premonition of his death.  She knew he just wanted to say his goodbyes in case something did happen, but she prayed to the gods that this will not be the case.

“He’s going to be okay.  He will be free. He and Layla will be together again someday.  They have to!”


	13. Chapter 13

Leona was unable to go to sleep right away that night.  While she was very tired from taking care of Chris, her confrontation with Sachie and Yukito’s harassment she just couldn’t relax.  She wasn’t feeling too troubled, but she was feeling… something. Her body was feeling hot and felt a tingling sensation in her loins that she couldn’t ignore.  Leona yearned to be touched.

This arousal may have started right before everyone was getting ready for dinner.  However, the only two people who weren’t present were Yukito and Yuuna. The Mistress did send the young man to fetch her when she didn’t show up on time.  But, it was taking a lot longer than the Mistress thought it would. She was getting rather impatient.

“Ugh!  This is getting ridiculous.  You’d think he went all the way to Timbuktu to find that girl!  Leona, could you be a dear and please find them? Hopefully, we won’t have to wait till Christmas for you to find them.  Mikako will keep your dinner warm till then.”

Leona stood up from her seat and complied to her wishes.  “Certainly, I won’t take too long.”

Leona went to both of their rooms to see if they were there, but she couldn’t get an answer.  However, she then heard something of a feminine moan and a grunt coming from the bathroom. She was worried that someone was hurt so she quietly rushed over their.  The noises were becoming more intense as she approached the grand bath. The sliding door was closed but she opened it by a small crack. She couldn’t believe her eyes.  Now she knew why they were taking their sweet time. Yuuna was on her back, her porcelain skin flushed red, and brown hair spread about the floor, was being penetrated by Yukito.  

At first, Leona was worried that the girl was being assaulted.  If she was, Leona would have stepped in right away. However, that wasn’t the case.  Taking a closer look they were surrounded by a fluffy hot pink aura. A color that is often associated with passion.  On nights when Leona and Klaus were embraced in the thrall of great passion, they are also surrounded by this type of aura too.  This melding between Yukito and Yuuna was different from the welcoming party. This was what actual sex was meant to be! They were making love of their own free will, with no one telling them what to do.  Even though Leona was feeling very much like a peeping Tom at the moment, she couldn’t help herself. She could feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest and her womanhood tingling. It’s only been four days since she left Hellsalem’s Lot, but it felt like an eternity since she and Klaus last had sex.  She wanted to be touched again so badly, that it hurt. She slid down against the wall in a daze. While they were continuing their fornication, her hand slid inside her panties to touch herself. She knew that this was wrong that she was getting off to her co-workers having sex but she didn’t care. She needed this release terribly.

Yukito and Yuuna had finished their love making they soaked into the bath to wash off the sweat.  Unfortunately, Leona was unable to get off her own intimate activity. This was to be expected. Ever since Leona and Klaus had their first night of sexual intimacy, she couldn’t really masturbate like she used to.  On occasions when she and Klaus couldn’t have their date nights she resorted to buying a vibrator when she need that quick release. As Leona got up from her aroused state, she listened in on their conversation.

Today’s lesson really took a toll on Yuuna and she was more determined than ever to leave this place.  She knew she would have to pay the hefty fine if she went to the Mistress herself, so she said she would escape instead!  However, she wasn’t keen on going alone.

“Yukito, you’ll come with me too, won’t you?”  Yukito was thoughtful for a minute. “You do have a point… plus I already have the money….so maybe…”

Leona began to panic.  After hearing Chris and Layla’s tragic circumstances and Sachie’s information on the bracelets, she knew that they would meet the exact same fate!

Not wanting to waste any time she stepped into the bathroom with her uniform on.

“You can’t leave!”  Leona shouted.

The couple looked back at their co-worker, both completely startled by her yelling.”

“Le-Leona!!??”  Yuna shouted her name while trying to attempt to cover her bosom.  Leona thought she was wasting her time since she already had sex with her equally surprised and angry partner.

“What the Hell!?  Were you here the entire time?!”

Leona blushed but shook off her embarrassment in favor of warning them.

“That’s not important right now.  But you guys absolutely cannot leave this place!  If you do that, they’re only going to hurt you!”

Yuuna who was already hellbent on wanting to leave, shot down Leona’s plea.

“They’ve already hurt Yukito and I in more ways than one, Leona!  I don’t believe that they could harm us more than they’ve already have.”

Leona face went grim.  After knowing what Chris is currently going through, Yuuna had absolutely know idea how far they are willing to go to ruin a life just for profit.

“Your wrong….you have no idea what these people are capable of….”

“What do you mean?”  Yukito asks.

“I learned some interesting things from Sachie today, and you two deserve to know too.”

Leona proceeded to tell them the information about the bracelets.  She didn’t tell them about Chris since she was sworn to secrecy. Even though Yukito saw her with him in the garden, he still didn’t know about his plight.

Both were pretty intrigued with her information but, they were still a bit skeptical, specifically Yuuna.

“What your saying kind of makes sense, although I’m having trouble believing the explosive device part.”

“That’s fair enough, but the tracking device part is true.  Neither of us are able to remove these bracelets, right? And why do you think that is?  These things are not just communicating devices, they are collars meant to keep us bound to this place.  If you guys step one foot off the estate grounds, the Mistress will be alerted immediately and she will know exactly where you are.  Please, you have to believe me on this.”

The couple stared at each other for a while, but Yukito answered first.

“Even though I really don’t want to believe you….you do have a point.  Neither of us can’t remove these bracelets, and I really don’t want to know what might happen if we attempt to escape.  I guess we don’t have much of a choice but to suck it up while we’re here.”

“You’re probably right….it’ll be difficult but I think as long as I’m with you Yukito, I think I’ll be able to bear it.  Leona, thank you for telling us this.”

Yukito blushed at Yuuna’s words.  He really has become her knight and shining armor during her stay here.  Leona really didn’t know why, especially with how he harassed her this afternoon.  But she realized that people can’t really help for whom they fall in love with, so she didn’t really have any right to argue.  But to be fair, she thought Yuuna could do much better.

“I’m glad you guys believe me.  Also the Mistress is getting impatient and she sent me to fetch you guys for dinner.”

Yuuna quickly shot up from the tub.  “Oh no! We didn’t mean to take to long.  We better get dressed!”

As Yuuna went into the changing area, Yukito stayed behind.

“Look, I’m willing to believe your little tale about the bracelets only to protect Yuuna.  But don’t get me wrong, I still don’t trust you…. so I better hope for your sake that you’re not lying to us….”

Leona gave him a fierce glare.  She hated that he is thinking of her as just another Sachie!

“I’m not Sachie, Yukito!  Unlike her, I really do want you guys to be safe, and make it out of here with no trouble.”

Her co-worker turned to move to the changing area.  But he turned his head to look her in the eye and said, “We’ll just have to see about that.”

Once Yukito and Yuuna were dressed they quick made their way to the dining room.  Everyone must have gotten tired of waiting so they started eating without the trio.

“Well, look who decided to finally join us.  Hopefully, you both have a good excuse for keeping us waiting?”

“Yuuna wasn’t feeling well so I wanted to help her.  I figured a bath would help clear her head. She was still a bit lightheaded from the lesson so I helped her out.  That why we were taking so long.”

The Mistress stared at the servant for a while.

“Hmmm…. Leona, can you verify this?”

“Yes, Ma’am.  Yuuna was looking poorly, and was doing a very diligent job in helping her

“Well, if you say that it is true, the I suppose I could let this slide.  But, I expect for all of you to be on time from now on. Be late again and there will be repercussions.”

The three servants bowed their heads in apology to the Mistress.  “Understood, Ma’am.”

Once they sat down to eat their meals, the Mistress had an important announcement.

“Yuuna, I just called our hospital and your brother is there right now and will be starting his surgery tomorrow morning!  A compatible liver has been found so he should be just fine.”

Yuuna had tears of joy in her eyes at the great news of her brother’s treatment.

“Really?!  This is wonderful news!  I really can’t thank you enough.”

The Mistress gave her a sweet smile that made Leona lose her appetite.  There was no way the Mistress is this kind. After the way Chris has been treated, she knew that this whole operation with Yuuna’s brother was seriously suspicious.

“It’s no problem, I’m always glad to help the less fortunate.”

‘Hypocrite.’ Leona thought to herself.

“Also Leona, how was your work today?  Thanks to the stuff I got for you, everything must be going well.”

“Yes, Ma’am, everything’s well and good.”

“Excellent!  I’m sure thanks to your care, I’m sure I’ll be able to make a great profit!”

Leona prayed that, that day will never come.  She was bound to make sure he leaves the mansion with her and Layla once her mission is complete.  She refused to let her friend be used as a product!

 

Now in her room, the sexual frustration came back to her.  She remembered that she was unable to climax while she was in the dressing room.  She needed to get rid of this itch as quickly as possible.

“Hey, Sonic?”

While the little mach monkey was getting ready for bedtime when Leona’s voice got his attention.

“I really need some alone time right now….mind finding another room to stay for the night?”

Sonic understood his Mistress very well.  Even though they are close and do like to sleep in the same room, he knows that she needs her space when she felt the urge.

He hooted with understanding and lept out through the open window.

After he was gone, Leona went to her backpack and took out her favorite toy.  It was a small vibrator in the shape of a strawberry. It was mostly used for clitoral stimulation rather than internal.  However, this was good when she need a quick session when Klaus wasn’t with her.

She removed her panties and laid down on the bed, getting herself comfortable as possible before she started her session.  She turned on the the toy to its highest setting. She opened the folds of her sex so she could place the vibrator on her erect clitoris.  She was immediately struck with a rush of pleasure at the intense stimulation.

“Ahhhh.. ohhhhh..mmm”

Leona couldn’t hold back her moaning.  The vibrations were very intense and she was anxious for her long awaited release.  However, during her pleasure she couldn’t stop thinking about Yukito and Yuuna’s intimate moment in the bathroom.  While she was happy that they had each other in this living hell, she was envious of them. More than anything, she wanted Klaus to be with her.  He missed his gentle caresses and passionate kisses all over her body. While she was in this mansion, she felt more lonely than ever. Chris was pretty much her only friend in the manson.  The family were nothing but greedy demons who brought both but unhappiness to others. Sachie was as bad as the Mamiya’s and she let their greed poison her beyond the point of a cure. Yukito thought of her as just another Sachie and a freak from Hellsalem’s Lot.  Yuuna was okay, but she still kept her guard up around Leona. Mikako and Makoto were kind to her but they still felt uneasy around her because of how nosey she has been. However, when she was with Klaus she actually felt normal. Now, that she thought about it, It's been awhile since she has been on the outside.  She was a blood breed now and she really didn’t belong outside the city’s dome. It took her a few days to realize how different she truly was from the humans on the outside.

While she was lost in thought, Leona felt the heat build up in her stomach.  She was ready to climax. Leona pushed the toy harder against her clit for a faster release.

Hah, hah,..uhh.ahh….Klaus!”

Leona convulsed as her nectar flowed from her body.  As she caught her breath, she felt tears flowing from her eyes.  Soon enough, she was totally sobbing. Not only did she miss Klaus terribly, she was very homesick for her beloved city.  She missed her apartment, the warmth of her bed, the sound of traffic in the morning, the view of the sunrise outside her window.  She also missed the delicious food from Diane's Diner, her friendly conversations she had with Vivien, her training sessions with Jack at Eden along with her other favorite hangouts in the city.  But, most of all she missed her friends at Libra. She missed Chain’s silent waves, Gilbert’s generous offers of his famous coffee, K.K’s motherly hugs, her reading sessions with Zed, Zapp’s stupid grin, Steven’s greetings while he has his mug of coffee and of course Klaus’s warm embrace when he stood up to greet her every morning.

Leona never felt more homesick in her life.  She wanted to go back to Hellsalem’s Lot so badly it hurt.  She knew she had a job to do and she was determined to see through it to the end.  However, the horrible pangs of loneliness was impossible to ignore. While she was at Libra, everyone was so kind and warm to her.  She always felt so at home while in Hellsalem’s Lot. Yeah, while they’re were some bad apples and the everyday craziness would make her jumpy, it was still home to her.  But here, there was nothing. Nothing but humiliation, cruelty, harassment and pain. The beyondians back home showed more humanity than the Mamiya’s. To be honest, Leona was sure the early Mamiya’s might have been demons, considering they treat their servants as nothing more than dogs.

“Next week can’t come soon enough.”  Leona said through her sobbing.

She suddenly felt so tired from the long day.  She wanted to go to dreamland, but because she cried herself to sleep, she couldn’t even dream.

_Klaus...where are you?....I need you….._

 

Klaus woke up with his face wet from his tears, and Glitter staring right at him with a worried expression.  The she-monkey let out a sad hoot as she used her tiny paws to wipe away the tears.

“Glitter...was….was I crying in my sleep?”

The little mach monkey nodded her head quickly.

“I’m sorry, my sweet….it’s strange, I thought for sure I heard Leona’s voice.  She was crying….God I hope she’s alright.”

Klaus looked back on the day as he stared at the ceiling.  He went back to work, and stayed for the latest evidence footage along with Steven.  He let him in on last night’s review and told him all about Leona new job as a caretaker, and her new companion Chris and how he had been kept prisoner in the Mamiya’s basement.  Klaus had suspected that they ran a human trafficking circuit, and if that was the case they would also be responsible for beyondian trafficking as well.

Steven described Chris as a living skeleton because of how malnourished he was.  He also mentioned in great detail how Leona did everything to make his living space clean, gave him a bath, and fed him a decent meal.  She even pleaded with The Mistress to make his conditions more humane.

One out of the one thousand things he loved about Leona was her kindness towards others and standing up towards the injustices of this world.  After what Steven told him, no one deserves to go through what Chris has.

When he and Steven reviewed today’s video they were able to learn more about his situation.  He and his wife, Layla were free spirits who loved to travel. They stayed in Hellsalem’s Lot after the Great Collapse Of New York in order to find Chris’ parents lived in Manhattan prior to the incident.  Unfortunately, they died during the collapse. They never even got the chance to meet his loving wife. Saddened by the memories Chris decided it was time to move on with their travels.

They wanted to go overseas on their next adventure, but unfortunately they didn’t possess the necessary funds for their trip.  They decided to get some full time jobs so they could make enough for the plane. That was when Chris discovered the flyers and thought with their combined fortunes they would be able to travel Europe in style.  However, as with all the new applicants who go to the Mamiya estate for work, only ends in tragedy. And that’s what happened to Chris and Layla. They tried to escape when the “work” became too much for Layla, but they were found do to the tracking devices in their bracelets.  They were separated and Chris was kept in the basement ever since. It was then Klaus and Steven found out next that Sachie held some responsibility for Chris’ fate. Apparently, she requested to pay her all the money he brought with him in exchange for information, but he refused to pay a single penny.  Leona confronted her about it. While, Sachie was acting coy about the whole affair, Leona’s intimidation tactics got her talking. Even though Leona knew from Chris that the bracelets had tracking devices in them, another important thing was that an explosive device was also implemented in the accessory.  After hearing that, Klaus was somewhat relieved that they didn’t go with Steven’s previous suggestions to go and get her. Even if they would be miles away from the estate Marie Mamiya would still be able to detonate the device. Leona wouldn’t die of course but a good chunk of her body would be missing and would probably be turned into a womb egg and Klaus didn’t want to go through that again.  Not only that, if anyone from Libra was sent to get her they wouldn’t be so lucky.

Steven was also glad that they didn’t go through with his plan either.  However, they could still storm the estate, apprehend the Mistress, get the bracelet off of Leona and be on their merry way.  But, Steven knew that Klaus and Leona wouldn’t want that.

But, the most important information in this video was the whereabouts of the beyondians.  As it turns out, Sachie was able to see Anna’s sister coming into the mansion. However, the hapless cat girl didn’t become a maid.  She was knocked out and taken somewhere within the mansion. Klaus and Steven figured it had to be somewhere in the basement, since it would seem that’s where they keep their “pets”.

While they were happy that they were finally getting somewhere in their mission, Leona hit a roadblock.  Apparently, in her anger she let a little bit of her vampiric form show. And Sachie, being a greedy little troll as usual wanted an extra reward and hand her over to the Mistress so she would be with the other “freaks”.  Klaus hated her calling his beloved something so cruel. But, Leona was way ahead of her and wiped Sachie’s memory of their conversation. Even though Leona was able to dodge a bullet, Steven wasn’t at all happy that Leona nearly blew her cover and gave away her true form.  Klaus was able to reassure him that she did what she had to and that they could edit parts of that video out. His friend relented, but he told Klaus that she would get a light scolding when she got home.

The second to last part of the video was a very unpleasant interaction with Yukito.  Their servant training must have been pretty bad and he was jealous that Leona had a cushier job than he did considering that she was a new servant just like he is.

Steven couldn’t help but comment. “ _Well, Leona is proving to be rather unpopular.”_

Klaus didn’t care if she was or not but it still hurt that she was being treated with such contempt.  Not just from the family but from the other servants. Even though Mikako seemed to like her enough she was still hesitant in opening up to Leona.  Hopefully, she would be more willing in the future.

And finally, Leona gave Chris his dinner.  But before she left, he wanted to ask a favor.  If anything were to happen to him, he wanted to write a letter of farewell to his beloved Layla.  Even though they hoped that day would not pass, he had a point. Leona of course, couldn’t refuse his request.  She was to provide him with the writing materials the next day.

And that was all they had in the video.  They edited the footage and kept it with the others for when they need to give them to Detective Law.

The events of that video played in Klaus’ mind like a movie on repeat.  She couldn’t stop thinking of the progress Leona was making. She was very close to finding the missing beyondians, he just knew it.  However, he was still pondering of who could be responsible for sending the beyondians to the outside even though it was against the law.  Someone with big connections to both the family and the law enforcement had to be the one behind this.

Another thing that came to mind was Chris’ past.  Klaus’ heart was moved by his story of his nomadic life with Layla.  It sounded so romantic and adventurous. There were also many places that he wanted to take Leona as well.  He especially wanted to take her to his homeland in Germany one day. He didn’t deserve the punishment he was given… no one did.

After thinking of all that had happened that day, Klaus was having difficulties falling back asleep, thanks to his thoughts keeping him awake.  He thought some chamomile tea would do the trick, so he went to the kitchen. Even though Klaus favored Gilbert’s tea the most, he was more than capable of making his own.

Klaus set the water-filled kettle on the stove top and he waited patiently for the heat to do its thing.  He yawned as he leaned against the counter. Even though he had a decent night’s sleep after his day off it still wasn’t enough.  He was still dead tired. Klaus hoped some sleepy time chamomile tea would help calm his nerves. However, in his sleep deprived daze he felt arms slither around his waist.

Klaus gasped. “Leo-”

_Wrong….hehehe!_

Klaus felt his blood ran cold.  These hallucinations have been getting more frightening.

“No….please god, no….not again!”

_Awww why settle for some boring tea when I could keep you warm instead?_

The imaginary Marie Mamiya slipped the shoulder strap of her nightgown off to try to entice him.  It didn’t work.

“I’d rather sleep in the frozen tundra than share a bed with you!  My heart belongs to Leona and Leona alone!”

_Oh you’re so cold….you know, if it weren’t for your uptight parents….we could have had some real grown up fun that day._

The very thought made Klaus feel ill.  “I was only fourteen! A child!”

_Oh please!  In some cultures when a boy turns thirteen he practically becomes a man!_

“You’re really sick, you know that?  You and the rest of your family! Since your early ancestors, you have caused nothing but misery and suffering onto others!”

_Ugh! Bleeding hearts like you are such a buzzkill!  Your friend killed that family, so no harm no foul._

“They had a daughter….who was still young and so full of life!  Your family was going to take that innocence away from her!”

_What can I say, young bodies are the most desirable._

Klaus was one-hundred percent done with her bullshit.  “You know what, I’m done talking to you… you are nothing but a figment of my imagination and I can make you go away if I want to.”

She let out a wicked laugh.

_You know you can’t get rid of me that easily!  Oh, and if you think your precious Leona can save that traveling fool?  Well, she’s going to be very disappointed….”_

Klaus growled under his breath.  “GO AWAY!”

when he opened his eyes he saw little Glitter sitting on the counter.  The poor thing looked at him with wide eyes, so confused and frightened from her owner’s fit of hysteria.

Klaus felt his heart breaking looking back at the scared little mach monkey.  He never wanted to scare his loved ones like he did.

“Oh Glitter, I’m so sorry!  I didn’t mean to scare you like that.”

Even though she was hesitant at first, he climbed into the palm of his hand, then jumped on the crown of his head.  She gave him some gentle pats. Glitter didn’t fully understand the situation was in, but she knew something was causing him great distress and she didn't like seeing him this way.  She knew Leona would do a better job at making him feel better, but this would have to do to make the bad thoughts go away.

Klaus laughed warmly at her sweet gesture, and brought her close to his face.  “Don’t worry Glitter… the mean lady’s gone… for now at least.”

The kettle began to whistle to alert Klaus that the water is at a roaring boil.

“C’mon my sweet, I think both of us could use a cup of tea.”

 

After their tea they went back to bed.  The soothing chamomile was starting to take effect on the sleepy Klaus and Glitter.  The little monkey nestled in the fluffy pillow next to Klaus’. While he began to doze off, he couldn’t help but think of what the imaginary matriarch told him.  Leona won’t be able to save Chris? No, it couldn’t be! She was just a hallucination just trying to make him more on edge than he already was. Klaus had nothing to worry about it.  They were going to get all the Mamiya’s prisoners back home where they belonged. He just knew it. They had to!

“Now please….let me sleep… in peace….”

  
  



	14. Chapter 14

Over the next few days, Chris’ health had really turned around for the better.  Leona had gradually fed him richer meals and it helped put some meat back on his bones.  Not only that, thanks to the walks around the garden his skin got back it’s natural glow and color.  He was no longer tired either. Chris was able to speak to Leona without taking stopping in between every few words.  In fact he and Leona would have very delightful conversations during his meal times and their recreation period. He told her of all the places he and Layla went to over the years.  Their favorite s places were the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, New Orleans, and of course Hellsalem’s Lot. Since it was the place they spent the longest, of course he held it in high regard.  Even if it was Chris’ childhood home it was still totally new to the both of them. What they loved most of all about Hellsalem’s Lot were the new friends they’ve made. Most of them were beyondian.  Chris, Layla and their friends really loved to party on the weekends in the city. He even mentioned the bar where Leona managed to drink Chain under the table. It was nice talking about home with Chris.  If Leona were to talk about it with anyone in the mansion they wouldn’t really understand her love for such a crazy city like he has.

Another favorite topic they enjoyed talking about, were their significant others.  Chris enjoyed talking about Layla very much especially her quirky bits. For example, she always liked to dip her fries in her chocolate milkshake.  He would also tell Leona that she would always read an entire novel in one sitting to the point she would stay up all night to finish it. Apparently, she had a very funny laugh.  If she saw something really funny or heard a great joke she would laugh so hard she would snort. Her laugh would get so contagious Chris would laugh the exact same way! However, the thing he would love the most about Layla, was that every time they saw a sunset she would cry silently.  He didn’t exactly knew why she always did that but, to him she always looked so peaceful and so beautiful that he couldn’t help but hold her close to him. Was she sad because she feared that their travels would someday end? Or was her heart touched by the beauty that surrounded them? He probably would never know.  Chris wished he did take the time to ask her. Before he got to emotional, he asked Leona about her boyfriend Klaus. She was only too happy to talk about him. She talked about his love of plants, tea, and prosfair. She went into detail of how he is a gentleman like no other, and that he can pretty headstrong when it comes to his passion for fighting for what’s right.  Leona also had to mention his frightening smile that made women faint and babies cry since it was thanks to his distinctive underbite. However, she told Chris that his smile never frightened her. Since the moment she met him she knew he was different from the other guys she met in her life. Despite his fierce face and brawny appearance, Klaus’s gentle heart and empathy shined brighter than gold.  They both love each other and accept each other for who they are with every fiber of their beings.

After hearing Leona gush about Klaus, Chris mentioned how wonderful soulmates are.  They were different than some friend with benefits or some short time fling. They are able to connect on a deep and emotional level that most people would not completely understand.  This is the kind of love that the Mamiya’s would never understand. This was then that Chris gave Leona a warning.

“Leona, please do not run away from this place.  Do not end up like me! You deserve to go back to Klaus once your done here.  Do not throw away your life like I did!”

Poor Chris still felt the guilt for what happened to Layla.  He may never see her again. Who knows, these may be his last days and he may not even know it.  In that moment Leona cupped his cheeks and looked him straight in the eye.

“I have no intention of running away.  I came here for a purpose and I’m seeing this through to the end!  You shouldn’t give up either. You will get out of here and you see Layla again, I know it!”

Chris eyes gleamed for a short moment, but then he looked away with a sad smile on his face.

“I want to believe you Leona… I hope you’re right.”

 

Even though Leona’s interactions with Chris were the highlight of her time at the mansion she still had to deal with the ugly parts.  Yukito’s attitude towards her was only getting worse. That was because the lessons were becoming more and more unbearable to him and Yuuna.  And poor Yuuna was getting the worse treatment from the Mistress’s harsh lessons. Every time Leona tried to talk to Yuuna, Yukito would always step in and take her far away from Leona’s presence.  She wouldn’t admit it but, it was hurting her feelings.

Her friendship with Mikako was also hitting a snag.  Each time she tried asking about herself she would always clam up and say she had something to do or just change the subject.  Leona tried to be patient with her but this old song and dance was getting old pretty fast. And after she tried to talk to Makoto about it he became more nervous around her and would avoid Leona whenever he could.  It was really frustrating.

Thanks to Leona’s memory wiping on Sachie she acted towards her like she used to.  But after that little chat she kept her distance, except for when she needed to do her chores outside of her caretaking duties with Chris.  She could never forgive her for her greed and being partially responsible for how Chris ended up. Not only that, she was willing to hand over Leona to the Mistress without a second thought, so of course she couldn’t trust her.

Fortunately, the only time when she had to interact with the family was during meal times, which have been getter harder to stand.  Actually every night at dinner Yukito and Yuuna have been getting more squeamish. The intense lessons have been making them lose their appetite more and more.  From what she could understand each of the dishes was similar to the particular theme of their lesson each day. Mikako took part in the lessons to so Leona was sure she wasn’t trying to make them feel nauseous on purpose.  If anything, it was probably the Mistress who was putting in these requests. The time Leona noticed how Green Yukito and Yuuna looked was when they had cream stew. She thought it was delicious of course but for those who had a rough time during the lesson, were having trouble trying to eat it.  Two nights later, beef stew was for dinner. Poor Yuuna looked so pale after seeing the delicious looking stew on her plate that she had to excuse herself from the table. Yukito looked like he was going to throw up with each bite. Leona felt bad for what the couple was going through, but secretly, after all the petty bullying on Yukito’s part she was somewhat satisfied to seem him squirm just a little.  But the straw that broke the camel’s back was the curry rice dish they had the night after. Yuuna just put her hand over her mouth and just ran out of the dining room with Yukito following her example. Despite the strict dinner code. The Mistress just shrugged off their behavior as a little weird. But Leona noticed she seemed to get some enjoyment out of their reactions. She had a really good imagination, so it took their reactions to the curry and the idea of what they went through in that day’s lesson to figure out the theme.  The very thought made her want to throw up too, so she also excused herself from the table claiming she had a stomach ache. Thank goodness she was a blood breed and doesn’t have to rely on human food!

Leona couldn’t help but vent to Chris about what’s been going on lately.

“I swear, Yuuna’s face turned swamp green when she saw that curry…I wish she was treated better.”

“I’m not surprised, the new maids who work here often get the worst treatment.  Layla was the same too.”

Leona sighed as she remembered how easy she had it.  “My caretaker job has been a walk in the park to be honest.  Spending time with you have really made this week bearable… I know because Yukito takes every opportunity to guilt trip me on how Yuuna’s been suffering.  I want to do more to help, but…”

Chris put a hand on her shoulder and then gave her a reassuring smile.  “You’re not a bad person, Leo. You can only do so much, especially around here.  He may act like an ass now, but he’ll come around soon enough. Besides, he’s doing everything he can to protect Yuuna, but he’ll realize he can’t do it by himself.”

“Thanks Chris.  If anything you’ve pretty much been my only friend here and treated me with more kindness than anyone else in the mansion …. well, Mikako would be the only exception.”

“Mikako is a really sweet woman….it’s a shame such a nice lady is stuck working here.”

“Did she ever tell you why she and her son are here?”

“Not really no….but I knew the restaurant she worked at went bankrupt before the Mamiya’s bought out the place.”

Leona was really surprised at Chris’ answer.  Narciso was a very renowned restaurant. How could it have gone bankrupt?  She knew from what Yuuna said that the quality of the food went down after the Mamiya’s took ownership.  If the quality went down before the new ownership then of course bankruptcy would be inevitable. This didn’t make any sense.

“Is that all you know, Chris?”

“Yep, Mikako has been tight lipped about the whole thing.  Really doesn’t like to talk about it. Probably reminds her too much of a better time before everything went to shit.”

That really did explain a lot.  “....I suppose.”

Not wanting to bring her mood down even further, he remembered what he wanted to give her.

“Oh, Leona!  Here’s the letter.  I’m sorry it took me a while, I was having trouble of what I wanted to say.  I mean….it’s not easy trying to write a goodbye letter to the love of your life, you know.”

Leona took the letter from his hands.  “I can imagine. But I’m sure it’s very sincere, and that you put a lot of thought into it.”

“Yeah… well…. I was never really the best with expressing my feelings with words, but after remembering our adventures together, I was able to figure things out in the end.”

“I just hope she’ll never have to read this.”

“Me too, Leona….me too.  But be sure to keep it in a safe place.  I don’t want the Mamiya’s finding it. Who knows what they might tell her, if anything ever happened to me.”

Leona knew how they were able to manipulate people for their own whims.  She put the letter close to her heart until she put it away in her bag for safe keeping.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep it close.”

Chris smiled knowing she’ll keep his letter safe.

“You really are an angel, Leo.  I really do appreciate all you’ve done for me this week.  If you didn’t step in when you did, I would have gone insane or I could have possibly died.”

“I just felt like I had to do something.  Whenever I see people in trouble I just have to help.  They were treating you worse than Cerberus, and you didn’t deserve that.”

“You were the first decent human being that didn’t treat my some stray dog.”

“Please, Marisa’s so stupid she probably doesn't even know the difference between a dog and a human.”

Chris and Leona laughed at that more than obvious fact.

“Hahaha!  Ain’t that the truth!  I think she seduced all the nerds in her class into doing her homework for her.  That’s what Marika said anyway.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.  Marisa is such a spoiled prissy princess who knows how to get what she wants.  Marika isn’t too different from her mom but at least she’s somewhat nicer than her sister.”

“Don’t let that nice act fool you, she’s just as bad as her mother and just as manipulative.”

“Yeah, I figured as much.”

 

Leona was really enjoying their chat.  Even though she wasn’t one for gossip, the Mamiya’s more than deserved to be trash talked.  However, that moment of happiness would be short lived. The two went silent when Leona heard footsteps coming from outside the cellar.  When the door opened, all three of the Mamiya women stepped into the room. Leona had a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. The three of them have never came into the basement to supervise her since the Mistress left her in charge taking of charge.  Something was very wrong.

Leona stood up quickly and dusted off her skirt.  “Madame! I-I didn’t expect you to come down here.”

The Mistress gave her a pleasing but sinister smile.

“I always have time for you, my dear.  I wanted to see how well you’ve been taking care of our little pet.”

Chris gave her a deep scowl when he heard the word “pet”.  The Mistress stepped up to him and grabbed his chin to inspect his his face.

“Hmmm….I must say Leona, you’ve done a wonderful job.  It’s only been a week and he’s in practically perfect health.  You really do have a way with animals.”

When the Mistress had her thumb on his lip, he didn’t hesitate to bite it.

“I….am not….a fucking house pet, you bitch!”

Leona had to try her hardest to hide her smile.  He really was no longer a dog. Thanks to her treatment, he was able to gain back his willpower.

But Marisa found Chris biting her mother a good opportunity to put him back in his place.

“It would seem Leona sucked at disciplining him.  I think you need to learn your place, mongrel!”

She kicked him so hard in the stomach that he threw up his breakfast.

“Chris!”  Leona ran to his side to comfort him as he convulsed from that kick.

“Are you alright, Mother?”  Marika asked.

“It wasn’t that hard.”

Leona knew she fooling herself since she noticed her thumb was bleeding from that bite.

“Besides, he’ll be out of our hair soon enough.”

Leona was alarmed when she said that.  She stood up and looked her in the eye.

“What do you mean, Ma’am?”

“Congratulations, Leona!  You’ve proven yourself worthy as a great caretaker.  On top of that we were able to find the perfect buyer for him!”

Chris perked his head up when she mentioned he’d be leaving.

“I….I’m leaving this place?”

The Mistress put her hands together and smiled at him.

“Yes indeed!”

Leona had a bad feeling about this.  She tried to talk to talk the Mistress out of it so he could stay longer until Libra came.

“Madame, I’m going to have ask you to reconsider.  He is getting better, but he’s still too weak to leave the Mansion.  He still needs another week here at most so he can fully recover.”

However, Leona’s words fell on deaf ears, since the Mistress was very adamant to get Chris to his buyer.

“Nonsense!  He looks plenty healthy to me.  Plus his buyer needs him immediately!”

“Out Of curiosity, who is my buyer?”  Chris asked.

“Well, unfortunately we weren’t able to find a a good buyer for you, so I had to search in “other” areas.”

Leona was getting frightened for her friend.  “What… what do you mean?”

“A specific organ is needed for this particular buyer.  He paid a great deal of money for it and I wasn’t going to pass up on his offer.”

Chris gulped, when she said an organ was going to be removed.  Leona desperately hoped that it was an unimportant one.

Chris gulped again and asked, “What organ is it?....”

The Mistress did her trademark smile, and said with a chilling casual tone,  “your heart!”

Leona turned pale as she clutched her chest.  She hoped with all her heart that this wouldn’t happen.  But, her nightmare had come true.

Chris also lost the color in his cheeks as she said it.

“My….my heart?”

“Oh my god….no, no!  He’ll die without it!”

The Mistress just treated the whole thing like it was just a bothersome business deal she had to deal with, when this was a life or death situation!

“Unfortunately, yes.  The buyer had a weak heart and is in need of a new one right away.  Fortunately, Chris is a compatible match!”

Leona shouldn’t have been too surprised, but in this situation anyone would be disgusted.

“Fortunately?.....There’s absolutely nothing “fortunate” about this!  We’re talking about an innocent man’s life here!”

As usual the Mistress had no sympathy.  “He should have thought about this before he decided to foolishly run away.”

Chris had his head in his hands.  “This can’t be happening….”

The Mistress put her hands on Leona’s shoulders.  “It’s all thanks to your so-called “friend”. The reason why I even agreed to Leona’s pleas was that I knew you were better suited to other ventures rather just being someone’s plaything.  You wouldn’t be good for anything else if you remained unhealthy.”

The Mistress was trying to make Leona the bad guy in this situation.  However, as much as she didn’t want to admit it, the Mistress wasn’t entirely wrong.  In the end, Leona was responsible for bringing him back to decent health. If she would have known that this would happen….no she wouldn’t have been able to ignore him.  Leona knew that having a generous heart would be both a blessing and a curse. In this case it was leaning towards the curse.

“Chris, I swear….I had no idea that this would happen! You have to believe me….”

The unfortunate young man stared at her for what seemed like hours as his eyebrows started to narrow.  However, his line of sight went straight to the Mistress.

“You’re so full of shit!  Leona had no idea that this would happen!  Unlike any of you, she actually treated me as a human being.  Not only did she give me decent food, she gave me clothes to wear  to keep me warm and a bed to lay my my weary body. But the best thing she did for me….she talked to me….She was the only friend I had in this hell.  She gave me a reason to hope again when all I wanted to do was die! Leona isn’t the villain here… you are!”

Leona cried with relief.  The last thing she wanted was to have his last few moments on earth hating her.  

The Mistress’ eye began to twitch.  It wasn’t fun to her when when someone like Chris thinks he has the upper hand in back talking.  A dog is was still a dog after all and needed to be put in his place. She had one more trick up her sleeve.  Something that will force him into deep despair. Or in this case, someone.

The Mistress slowly clapped her hands in mockery of Chris’ speech.  “Well, aren’t you brave? However, I have one more thing to show you before your time is up.  A certain someone you’ve been pining for, to be more specific.”

His eyes went wide.  Did she really have her here?

“Wait….  you-you don’t mean….Layla’s been here this whole time?!  Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“You didn’t ask dumbass.”  Marisa said bluntly.

Leona was also shocked, but she was also confused.  Why wasn’t she able to sense her presence? If she used her eyes, she would have been able to find her.  However, now that she thought about it, she wasn’t able to sense Chris’ presence either the first time she came to the basement.  Actually, the power in her eyes were rather weak since she came to the mansion. The only thing that works we’re viewing the auras of the people that were next to her.  Just what the heck is this place?!

“Layla is actually here in the mansion?”

“Well, she’s in another part of the basement.  Come, we’ll show you!”

Leona was forced to keep his hands shackled.  The Mamiya’s didn’t want him to try anything funny, since he was an important “asset”.  The three women lead Leona and Chris to the farthest part of the basement.

“We usually keep the animals down here, so this fit the description of your wife perfectly.  Well, you don’t want to keep her waiting do you? Go right in!”

When they entered the cell, both of them couldn’t believe their eyes.  The smell was so strong and so disgusting, that it made Leona gag. Because of her vampire senses, she was more affected by it.  However, what was in the cell would break the hardest heart. There she was. The very Layla, that Chris loved with every fiber of his being, was in a pen meant solely for pigs.  Her olive skin was covered in bruises and filth. Her eyes were glossed over, staring into space that they didn’t even acknowledge Chris at all. Her mouth was open like a codfish with drool dripping down her chin.  However, her most shocking feature was her round belly which looked to be about eight months with child….

“Chris fell to his knees.  There was no way that this was his wife!

“No way….no fucking way!  This can’t be Layla! This isn’t my wife!”

The Mistress walked up next to him.  “ I can assure you, this is her.”

“Then how can you explain that?!”  He demanded while pointing at her stomach.  “Layla told me she was sterile and that she can’t have babies!”

Marisa just laughed at his denial.  “Hahahaha! Then she was obviously lying to you!  She didn’t get that gut while eating like the rest of the pigs here.  Although with it she certainly looks more like them, Hahaha!”

Leona was suspicious about Marisa’s accusation.  They did live in Hellsalem’s Lot for sometime. Even though it’s a very bizarre city, it was also a place of miracles.  Not only that, the city was more medically advanced. Dr. Estevez told her that they tried not use magic on humans during procedures unless it was absolutely necessary because they would mostly go wrong.  But maybe….Maybe Layla was able to get her hands on a fertility treatment that cured her of her sterilization. Leona wasn’t one-hundred percent sure, but it was a possibility.

“Who….whose the father?”  Chris asked with a shaky voice.

“Well, her last owner didn’t do anything to her, and you were the only one who had sex with while you were in my employ….so, it’s more than likely, you’re the father!”

The young man had tears running down his face when he got his answer.  The baby was his….and he would never get the chance to meet them.

“I… I’m a father…”

“Hey, at least you got to leave your seed behind before you die.  Now you can leave this world with no regrets!”

Leona wanted to rip Marisa’s mouth right off her face.  Chris had plenty to regret! He was going to die! His wife will be all alone and she will have to give birth without him!

“Madame… what’s going to happen to the child?”

“Oh you don’t have to worry your pretty little head about that.  Thanks to the baby’s parents superior genes, we will raise them to be the perfect product!”

Leona couldn’t speak, all she could do was shake her head in disgust.  That child would have the worst life if they are born here in the mansion.  The father was going to die and the mother is a complete vegetable. Leona decided she couldn’t let that happen.  If she couldn’t save Chris and Layla, she could still save their child!

Chris gripped the bars of the cage, as he desperately tried to apologize to Layla.

“Layla….I’m so sorry, baby….I never should have brought us here!  Please...please say something… anything! … Please!”

Leona couldn’t take it.  His broken, heart wrenching sobs were too much for her to bear.  She didn’t know what to say. There was only one thing she could do for her friend.  She kneeled down beside him, put her and on his shoulder, and laid her head on his back.  She cried along with him.

Chris didn’t shrug her off of him.  He couldn’t…Leona was his only friend in this world who had the compassion to understand his grief.  He didn’t want to leave this world like this. Knowing that they were finally growing their family after ten years of marriage only made him want to live more!  Only...he didn’t have that option anymore.

The Mistress yawned, indicating her impatience.  “Look, can we move it along please? My client really needs that heart now.”

Leona growled as she turned to face the villainous Marie.  “How could you be so cold?”

“Business is business, Leona.  Now get him off the floor and let’s go!”

Chris got up on his own.  His face completely blank with despair.  

“I’m up….let’s just get this over with…”

“Excellent!  Under normal circumstances we would euthanize you.  However, we don’t want that to affect the heart in anyway.  So how about we do asphyxiation! I’ve always wanted to try that!  Well, not on me but on another person.”

“Just do what you want…”

“Wonderful! Shall we go then?”

“Wait… as my last request, I want to speak to Leona alone.”

The Mistress let out a huff of annoyance but she relented.  “Ugh fine, but you have five minutes.”

The three Mamiya’s left the two of them alone in his cell, where they were free to talk for the last time.  Leona was at a loss. She felt like she let him down because she couldn’t do anything to prevent his fate. The only thing she could do was apologize to her friend.

“I’m sorry, Chris...I-I had no idea that this would happen!  If I would have known...I would have let you escape during our walks in the garden.”

“You would have gotten in trouble…”

“I wouldn’t care… At least I would rest easy knowing you would have been free!”

Chris grabbed Leona’s face.  “Leona! I don’t blame you for what’s going to happen to me.  Besides, even if you did give me the chance to escape, I would have stayed anyway.”

Leona was speechless.  “You would? I don’t understand….why would you?”

“I wouldn't have wanted to leave without Layla… Even though I didn’t know it, but these past few days I’ve spent with you….they were the best days I could have ever hoped for.  I cherish our time together. I will always have the fondest feelings of friendship for you, Leo. You are a remarkable and wonderful person, my friend. I mean that with all my heart.”

Leona couldn’t stop crying.  She was about to lose such a wonderful friend who didn’t deserve to lose his life for a damn profit!  The only thing Leona could do was hold onto him for comfort and she never wanted to let him go. But the Mamiya’s would only pull them apart.

“I feel the same, Chris.  I’m glad I got to know you too.”

“I do have a favor to ask though…”

“Anything! Just name it!”

“Please get my family out of here!  I refuse to have my child be raised like a damn produce!  Can you promise me that?”

Leona couldn’t refuse his request.  “I promise…”

They gave each other one last hug, before the Mistress came in and spoiled everything.

“Times up!  Come on, let’s get a move on shall we?”

Chris let go of Leona’s hand and walked to his death with his head held high.  The three of them lead Chris and Leona into a small room. The only thing it had was a scaffold.  Looking at it made Leona want to vomit. But it was mostly because she was crying so much, it was making her feel more nauseous.  Leona was in a nightmare that wouldn’t give her the mercy of waking up.

Chris walked up to the stage where Marika put the noose around his neck.  After that she planted a kiss on his cheek. In one last act of defiance, he wiped it off with disgust.

Marika scowled at his rude act rebellion.  “Hmph, it’s a shame, I really did love you.  Oh well, they’ll always be another.”

The eldest daughter went down to join Leona at her side.

“Like I said before, dear.  There’s no use crying over spilt milk.”

At this point, she didn’t care what any of these people had to say.  Her friend was going to die at their hands and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.  Even though Chris was putting on a brave face, (probably for Leona’s sake) she still needed to know what he was feeling.  Despite her god's eyes being in a weak state, she could still see the auras of the people in the room. Leona was not at all prepared for what for what she saw.  

Chris’s aura was an image of himself….it was crying….and it said, “I don’t wanna die!  I don’t wanna die! I don’t wanna die!”

He said it over and over.  He was frightened and he wanted to live.  Leona couldn’t take it anymore and she wanted to leave.  But Marika grabbed her wrist hard before she could get out.

The Mistress gave the order to Marisa to pull the lever.  With a sadistic little smile, she did what her mother told her.  Leona shut her eyes tight. All she heard was his neck breaking then….nothing.  Nothing but the creaks of the rope holding her friend’s lifeless body. Chris Davis… son of Henry and Rebecca Davis, beloved husband to Layla Hunter Davis… was dead…

 

After Chris was confirmed deceased, The Mistress ordered Layla to help Marika take care of his body in the morgue.  Marika surgically removed his heart and kept it in a small cooler so it would be fresh for delivery. Leona stared at his cold, lifeless body.  On his chest was a long and painful looking scar. She placed her hand where his heart used to be. A heart so full of love for his sweet Layla and the adventures they shared together over the years.  Only now it was going to some greedy rich bastard who would no doubt take it for granted.

Marika leaned against the table next to Leona.  ‘If she’s trying to cheer me up, it’s too late for that.’  Leona thought to herself.

“Leona, you’re still grieving over this?  The damage is done, let. it. go!”

“Did you mean what you said….that you loved him?”

“Well, yeah. But of course he tragically loved his now vegetable widow.  Pity, I would have given him so much more both financially and physically.”

“Bullshit…”. Leona whispered.

“I beg your pardon?”

Leona growled.  After what happened to Chris, she no longer wanted to act nice for these people.

“BULLSHIT!  If you really loved him like you claimed you had, you would have let him and Layla go!  I… I thought you were different, Marika.”

Marika cupped Leona’s cheek and have her signature sweet smile.  “Oh, Leona… How stupid are you? After all this time, did you really forgot which family I’m a part of?  What I really meant is that I loved his body! what else were you thinking?”

Deep down Leona always knew that Marika was no different from the rest of her family.  But seeing her show her true colors really did sting. She stood up for her when Marisa bullied her relentlessly.  But just like Chris, Leona was nothing more than an object of lust to her.

Leona turned her head away from her.  “I didn’t want to believe it. But deep inside… I knew you weren’t different from your mother.  You’re the spitting image of her.”

“Aw! How sweet of you to say that.  But unfortunately, you no longer amuse me.  Overly emotional women are such a turn off. But that Yukito, however… He’s quite the charmer.”

“You’re deluding yourself.  He’ll never love you. He already has his heart set on Yuuna.”

“True, but I can tell he’s not that different from us.  He loves money, just as much as loves great sex. Besides,  Yuuna so weak willed that she wouldn’t mind if I take him off her hands.”

Leona, was so tired that she didn’t have the strength to make a smart remark.  Nothing she would say would ever make them change their minds on how they treat others.

Before Marika left the basement, she grabbed Leona’s chin.

“I’m willing to let your little outburst slide this time.  But the next time I won’t be so nice. And it’s Lady Marika to you.”

Marika let go of her then walked towards the door.  But before she left, “Oh, and put that away in the freezer before you leave.”

 

Leona spent another two hours in the morgue mourning his death.  Since Layla was out of commission Leona didn’t want him to be alone.  But, she was starting to get scared after those two hours so she stored his body away and left as fast as she could.  She just wanted to go back to her room to be alone. Yukito and Yuuna were in the hall but she was very close to having a panic attack that she just ran.  Yunna noticed how freaked out she was and bless her heart, tried to reach out and ask what was wrong. Leona acknowledged her but she couldn’t look her in the eye.  She thought if she tried to speak she would only scream. However, unlike Yuuna’s concern for her fellow co-worker, Leona could feel Yukito smirking at her. He was enjoying seeing Sachie’s mini her fall from grace but, she didn’t care what he thought.  She just had to get away from everybody. When Leona entered her room she immediately locked her door and started hyperventilating. This was so frightening she couldn’t stand it. While she had seen many of her friends get seriously hurt and almost die, this was her first time actually witnessing someone’s death. Leona couldn’t help but think she could have prevented this.  That she could have fought them off and damn the consequences if her cover was blown! But she couldn’t do it… she promised she wouldn’t use her powers. But was letting a man die really worth keeping a promise? Sure, Steven would have been mad and maybe Klaus but she would have justified her actions! All of these questions and what if’s were making her feel worse. She went to her pillow and screamed until her voice went hoarse.  Sonic came back to find Leona in a fetal position. He transformed in his mini beast mode and gave his best buddy some much needed cuddles. He didn’t know what happened that day, but it must have been very, very bad.

Through broken sobs she finally spoke to her familiar.  “Oh, Sonic… I did such an awful thing…”

That was all she said.  Just thinking about it made her want to scream again.  Leona spent the rest of the afternoon in Sonic’s arms sniffling and quietly crying.  She still had to go to dinner even though she didn’t want to share a meal with those people ever again.  So she decided to just show up two minutes late out of spite.

Of course Marisa had to chew her out.  “You’re late, pube head!”

“I’m sorry… I wasn’t feeling well….”

Yuuna noticed how haggard she looked and she remembered how scared she looked.  “Your eyes look really red and puffy, Leo. Maybe you should skip dinner tonight.”

“I’m fine…”. Leona said with great indifference.

Mikako was serving lasagna for dinner that night, which she told Mikako that it’s her favorite.  Since Yunna spent a lot of time with Mikako in the kitchen so she must have told how frazzled Leona looked when she past her in the hall.  She even went as far as to give her a big helping to make her feel better. While Leona was touched by the kind gesture, she didn’t have much of an appetite for human food that night.

Throughout dinner, the three Mamiya women were just talking how much of a literal and metaphorical “killing” they made off of Chris’ heart.  Leona couldn’t stand it. They murdered an innocent man and they were treating his death as a casual business transaction!

“We just made a total of $900,000 today!  He was quite generous on the price. I was willing to just settle for $500,000 for it.”

“No doubt he’ll be having sex in no time!”  Said Marisa Crudely.

“And of course we all have Leona to thank for that.”  Marika said while giving her a cruel smile.

Leona couldn’t take being in the same room with them.  She was getting more angry with each word they said. Yuuna and Yukito were oblivious as to what they were talking about.  They had no idea that a man just died that day.

However, what Marisa said next was the straw that broke the camel’s back.  “You know Leona, maybe you should stick around after the two weeks. You’re really good at _killing_ with kindness! Hahaha!”

Leona had her water glass in her hand when she said it.  She was so furious that she gripped it so hard that it broke.

“Ow!”

A glass shard got into her hand and caused a pretty deep cut.

The Mistress feigned worry about Leona’s hand.  However, for her punishment for breaking an expensive water glass she was to help Mikako with cleaning up dinner.

“Mikako, could you help tend to Leona’s cut?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Mikako lead her junior into the kitchen to fix her up.  She sat her down on the stool and got to work on disinfecting the cut.  Mikako wasn’t the nosey type, but the mother in her wanted to try to help her.

“Leona,  I know you’re feeling bad right now, but you tend to get used to things like what happened around here.”

Unfortunately, she wasn’t doing to good a job.  “Did The Mistress tell you what happened, Mikako?”

“No, but when Yuuna mentioned how frazzled you were, I had a suspicion something had happened to your charge.  As unfair as it is, Leona… it’s just the way things are. We all eventually come to terms with how things are run around here.”

Leona was getting so sick and tired of the endless excuses.  Why did Mikako of all people was so passive about this? She was a married woman and a mother for god’s sake!  How could she be okay with all of this?! How could she stand these people’s cruelty!? Why?!

In anger she snatched her hand away.  “That’s it?! That’s all you have to say?!  Have you let their greed poison you too just like Sachie, that you just accept everything what goes on in this madhouse?!”

Mikako was so surprised by her outburst that she dropped the bandage roll.  “It’s….it’s just the way things are done…”

Leona wasn’t having it anymore.  “No! I am so fucking done with the excuses!  There’s no way you are this apathetic! I mean, you’re a mother!  I thought you of all people would’ve spoken out about about their cruelty!”

The cook was feeling more small by her powerful words.  “I...I don’t….”

“How could you let them do those awful things to your son like that!?”

Leona was really hitting all the nerves this time. “Please stop…”

“Or does the money mean that much to you that you don’t even care anymore?!”

Mikako slammed her hand on the counter.  “OF COURSE I CARE!!!”

Leona couldn’t believe what she was seeing.  Mikako, who was the most poised, and calm of the Mamiya’s staff, was gritting her teeth, had tears in her eyes and had just raised her voice to her junior.  Leona was dumbstruck. She thought that she never got angry. But then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Mikako was holding it in the whole time. She had no choice.  If she placed one toe out of line she and her son would pay the price.

‘She’s just like me…’. Leona thought to herself.

“Mikako…you’ve been keeping your feelings inside for so long, haven’t you?”

“I didn’t have a choice… dear god… my son’s screams have been haunting my nightmares ever since we came to this damn place!  Every time I look at my sweet boy’s face, I hate myself!  Whenever the Mistress puts Makoto through those awful treatments it reminds me how much of a failure I am as a mother…. It’s a mother’s duty to protect her child, but I can’t even do that!  All I’ve gotten out of this place is nothing but shame….”

Leona felt bad for yelling at her.  Mikako was a victim here just like Yuuna and Yukito.

“Mikako, I… I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean what I said.  You had no choice. Keeping your feelings bottled up is the ultimate job requirement here.  But Mikako, you don’t have to hide your feelings from me. I really do want to help you. I’m still grateful to you for trying to make me feel better after the interview.  My heart was so moved by your kindness, that I really wanted to become your friend if you’d let me.”

Mikako was quiet for a beat.  Leona understood if she didn’t want to talk to her after the way she acted.  However…

“Thank you, Leona… in a way you were right.  I was becoming so desensitized by the Mamiya’s, that I was becoming brainwashed into thinking that everything they do was normal.  Since I came here I’ve kept my emotions inside that it’s become second nature to me. But letting it out to you was the most liberated I’ve felt in years.  I’m really glad you’re here. It’s time we’ve had someone like you in this terrible place. I’ll tell you everything… but not right now. Come to my room tonight at 1:00 AM.”

“Okay…. thanks Mikako.”

She gave Leona a sad yet understanding smile.  “Now let’s get back to that hand… huh. That’s odd, it’s completely healed.”

Leona blushed.  Mikako didn’t know she was a blood breed, so very mild wounds like that cut heals very quickly.

“Uh… what can I say, I’ve always been a fast healer.”

“I was worried you were going to need stitches.  I could have sworn I saw some glass go in. But I guess it wasn’t that serious.  But please be more careful.”

“yeah, I-I will.”

“Also, for what it’s worth…. Chris was very lucky to have friend like you.  He needed your kindness.  We all do.”

Leona felt she didn’t deserve her praise.  Mikako really was a great mom, even if she no longer believed it herself.  She knew just how to touch someone’s heart in all the right ways. Leona started tearing up again.  The motherly woman held onto her tightly. Leona laid her head on her bosom as she cried.  Even though she was getting tears and snot on her, Mikako didn’t care.

Leona needed a mother’s affection after a very bad day.


	15. Chapter 15

The past few days have been an absolute nightmare for Klaus.  Even though he was taking every other night off due to Steven and Gilbert’s request he was still losing sleep and his hallucinations were getting worse.  One night the visions were so bad that he threw his favorite coffee mug at what he thought was Marie Mamiya but it just crashed into the wall with hot tea splattered on the kitchen floor.  It scared poor Glitter so badly that she went to go stay with her fellow monkeys until Leona came back and made him feel better again. He felt terrible that he frightened his pet, but this was something that was completely out of his control.

Klaus tried everything to keep his mind occupied during this difficult time.  But nothing was helping! He tried playing prossfair… he kept losing. that wasn’t uncommon of course, but it still made him irritated.  He tried needlepoint… kept pricking his fingers. He tried different herbal teas… that just gave him a constant need to use the bathroom.  Not even taking care of his plants helped, and that was his favorite thing! Some days he forgot to eat or he just refused to eat entirely.  Gilbert was practically on his knees, just begging his young master to eat something! He was worried he would have to resort to force feeding if this got any worse, but he really didn’t want use that tactic.  Gilbert made a promise to Leona that he would make sure Klaus was properly taken care of while she was on her mission and he didn’t want to let her down. Gilbert decided he would wait one more day and if he didn’t eat, then he would initiate plan X.

However, the next day, things took a rather frightening turn.  Klaus was at his desk typing away, but his vision kept getting blurry.  All the characters that he was typing just looked jumbled and random. Nothing in his reports made any sense.  His head hurt so badly that it felt like there was hammer constantly pounding away in his brain. On top of that, he thought that his heartbeat was louder than usual.  It was as if he could literally hear the blood rushing through his veins. He could even feel every thump slowly knocking against his ribs. What if the others can hear it too?!  Steven was sipping his morning coffee while Zapp was playing a game on his phone and Zed was quietly pacing around the office reading a book. They were all blissfully unaware of the  percussion symphony going on inside him. Not wanting to feel like the tortured protagonist from one of Edgar Allan Poe’s fables, he fumbled with the pitcher next to him and clumsily poured a glass of water.  He took a quick gulp of the cool liquid to calm his frazzled nerves, but it didn’t help much.

Steven was snapped out of his favorite morning ritual by the clattering noises that Klaus was causing.  He knew his friend has been out of sorts since Leona’s departure for the Catskills, but this was strange even for him.  When Klaus was worried about something his intense aura would engulf his surroundings. But, this time it wasn’t there… Something was seriously wrong.  He went to Klaus’ side to get a better look at his companion. “Hey Klaus, are you feeling okay? You don’t look so hot…”

When Steven tapped Klaus’ shoulder, he jumped in his chair and quickly placed his palm over his chest hoping to keep the pounding organ inside him quiet, even though Steven couldn’t hear anything.  Klaus tried to regain his composure by straightening his tie.

“I uh, um Oh, I’m fine.  I think I might need new glasses soon.  My vision is just acting funny today.”

Steven wasn’t buying it.  “Klaus, you jumped in your seat like a skittish kitten.  You are sweating bullets, and your eyes are completely bloodshot.  I may not be a physician but those are clear signs something’s not right. ”

Before Klaus could argue, Steven put his hand over his friend's mouth and placed his other on the forehead.  He was burning up.

“You have a fever, Klaus.  That’s it you’re going home, no arguments! Gilbert, get him to bed immediately and make sure he stays there.”

Gilbert was only too happy to oblige.  “Of course, Master Steven.”

Klaus groaned as he rubbed his eyes.  Of course he wanted to protest, but unfortunately he didn’t have the strength to do so.  He didn’t say a word, he just nodded and tried to walk toward the bandaged butler so he could drive him home.  However, when he stood up from his chair the room started spinning. His knees started to shake and he quickly grabbed the corner of the desk to keep his balance.  Klaus tried to shake his head to make the dizzy feeling pass. He took a few steps and accidentally bumped into Zed.

“Oh, KlAus!  I’m SoRrY i didN’T SeE yoU ThERe…”. Zed’s voice sounded oddly distorted.  Not only that he had grown a second head!

In that moment, Klaus started to sway back and forth.  He tried to grab something to keep his balance but it was too late.  He collapsed on the floor with a loud thud, alerting everyone present in the office.

“KlAUs?... KLAUS!!!”

“YOUng….master!...”

“I’M…. caLLing…..amBulAnCE!”

“HANg…..oN Klau-!”

His vision had faded into darkness as the voices around him were becoming more and more distant.  The only thing left he could hear was a loud ringing and the slow beating of his heart. Then he knew no more.

 

Klaus woke up in to a constant steady beeping sound.  His vision was very blurry and all he could see was the many holes and bumps of a plaster ceiling.  He was scared out of his mind since he had absolutely no memory of how he came to be where he currently was.  The last thing he remembered was that he was about to head home at the behest of Steven’s orders and then… nothing.  His mind completely blacked out after that. When his vision became clear again, he could see a needle in his left arm attached to an IV.  And the beeping noise was coming from the heart rate monitor on the right side of the bed. But the most prominent detail were the green vines coming in and out through the cracks of the off white walls and tile floor.  Klaus was at Bradbury General Hospital. All of the worst case scenarios were running through his head of what was wrong with him. However, he would soon get his answers when the child version of Dr. Luciana Estevez came into the room.  

She greeted him with a friendly smile and with a professional attitude.  “We’ve got to stop meeting like this Mr. Von Reinherz.”

The still drowsy redhead sat up in his bed.  “Dr. Estevez… what happened to me?”

“You passed out at Libra headquarters.  Mr. Starphase called the ambulance and requested that you were to be brought here.  Your fever and fainting spell was mostly due to dehydration and accumulated stress. On top of that, you’ve also lost ten pounds in a shockingly brief amount of time.  This is probably due to the fact you haven’t really eaten much these last few days. This is correct, yes?”

Klaus laid back and let out an exhausted sigh.  He felt so embarrassed for being driven to this state.  He was certain he was going to get a good scolding from Leona.

“You’re not wrong, Doctor.  It’s been… a rather difficult week.”

Luciana took a seat next to her patient.  “I figured as much. I’m kind of surprised you don’t have any ulcers, since your butler said you’re rather prone to them…. Steven told me what’s been going on with Leona.  Of course picking a fight with the Mamiyas would cause you so much stress and anxiety.”

At this point Klaus wasn’t surprised she knew about the Mamiya's.  “Of course you know about these people too.”

The good doctor snorted at Klaus’s comment.  “Who doesn’t? We’ve had some huma patients transferred over to their hospital which is rumored to do some real shady practices.  Plus they never seem to run out of fresh organs either.”

Klaus was tired of hearing about that wretched family.  Not only that it was partially because them he was in this wretched state in the first place.   “Dr. Estevez, please…”

“I’m sorry, I like to gossip with some of my patients sometimes.  It keeps them entertained while they’re stuck to beds. But, I do tend to forget my bedside manner.”

“I’m glad you try to make your patience have fun while their in recovery.  But I really don’t want to talk about the Mamiya's right now.”

Luciana nodded at his request.  “Oh yeah! Steven stayed by your bedside all night.  I kicked him out this morning so he could go get some rest.  He should be back by tonight though.”

“That’s good to know.  Thank you, Doctor.”

Luciana smiled at him while she served him his afternoon meal.  “I mostly just came in to check in on you and to give you your lunch.  I’ll come back to change your IV bag later.

The good Dr. Estevez was about to walk out the door, but stopped at the threshold.  “Oh, and Klaus… I expect that tray to be completely empty by the time I get back.”

And with that, she left to tend to her other patients.  Klaus looked at the meal tray that was placed in front of him.  It had a chicken Caesar salad, chocolate custard, and a glass of ice water.  His belly was aching and growling at the sight of the food before him, that he couldn’t wait to eat anymore.  His hand felt heavy and was shaking when he held the fork. He was very hypoglycemic from the lack of food and from the fever.  He quickly dug into the salad before he could accidentally drop the utensil. As he he ate he recalled the tapes when Leona was taking care of Chris.  Thanks to the TLC she gave the poor man he was getting healthy again.

Klaus found this rather ironic.  Chris, who was on the brink of death not to long ago  was getting better, while Klaus who always took great care of his health and well-being was sick as a dog and was being treated like a child.  Even though he was happy Leona was taking care of a huma in need, he couldn’t deny that he felt a little jealous of Chris. He knew that their relationship was platonic and that he had a love of his own, but he just wanted Leona to come home where she belonged.  In other words, return home to him. He really didn’t want to act like an immature jealous boyfriend but sometimes he just couldn’t help himself. All he wanted was for his sweet Leo to come back where Hellsalem’s Lot where she is loved by everyone in the Libra ( but he loved her more) and where she wasn’t being mercilessly bullied and abused.  But most of all, He just wanted to hold his beloved in his arms again and feel her gentle warmth.

Klaus laughed bitterly when swallowed his meal down.  “I guess I really am just a jealous little boy, huh?”

 

Much to Dr. Estevez’s delight, Klaus finished all the food that was served to him.  After he ate his lunch he went back to sleep. Luciana had to take his blood pressure, but fortunately he was out like a light so her disturbance wouldn’t wake him up.  When he arrived at the hospital his blood pressure was very low, but now it was back to normal thanks to the fluids that was given to him. The good doctor felt bad for what her friend was going through.  She, along with everyone else in his group of friends and colleagues hoped the sooner those disgraceful Mamiya's were dealt with the better. She knew that the organs they had didn’t came from registered donors.  Forcefully taking the parts of innocent people for a quick buck was a true disgrace to the medical profession. As much as Luciana wished the wait list wasn’t so long, she knew that all good hospitals who truly cared for their patients did the best they can.  But there was still a sense of guilt she couldn’t deny, when she had to tell a patient they had to be waitlisted. It was one of the many difficult parts of her job. Not wanting to get too emotional while on the job she choked down her tears, finished taking Klaus’ blood pressure and moved onto another patient.  Luciana’s work did help distract her from the most unpleasant thoughts. Funny, since a hospital is usually nothing but unpleasant. But to her, Bradbury General wasn’t.

 

By the time Klaus woke up again it was about 11:30 PM.  Steven was sitting next to his bedside with a cup of coffee in his hand.  Normally, most visitors weren’t allowed in the hospital at this time, but Steven was the exception.

“Good morning sleepyhead.”  Steven said in a condescending tone.

“Don’t you mean evening, Steven?”

“You’re still so literal even when you’re sick?  Eh, I should have known…. You really scared us big guy.”

“I’m sorry.”

Steven let out a frustrated sigh.  “Leona isn’t going to be happy knowing that you had to be sent to the hospital in her absence.”

Klaus knew it was technically his fault since his anxiety prevented him from taking proper care of his health, but he thought he could still lighten the situation.

“Well, technically she did tell Gilbert to make sure I didn’t get any ulcers while she was away, and I was told I didn’t get any.”

Steven gave Klaus an icy cold glare.  “You idiot! You were dehydrated, losing sleep, having hallucinations, got a goddamn fever,  and your blood pressure was way too low because of all the stress you were under! Dammit Klaus, this could have turned into something much worse than it already is!”

“I’m sorry, Steven… I didn’t mean to upset you. You’re right, I should have taken better care of myself.”

“No, no… you shouldn’t have to apologize.  It’s also my fault too. Besides Gilbert, I should have kept a better eye on you as well.  To be honest, I had no idea that you were still losing sleep even though you’ve agreed to take every other night off. And the hallucinations… shit Klaus, why didn’t you tell me?”

 Klaus felt the selfishness come over him when Steven asked that question.  Everytime Leona was troubled he always told her she should never feel scared or embarrassed to talk to him when she needed too.  Even though in the days before she left the city, he opened up about his past and with the Mamiya’s. So why was Steven any different than Leona?  In fact, why was anyone in Libra any different than Leona? That’s when he realized, even though he is technically in office terms her boss, he treated her more than just an employee.  She was his lover, best friend, and confidant. With her he could talk about anything, but what about Steven? He was his best friend too, so why did he keep this from him? Was it because they were both trying to keep their cool during this mission while their youngest member was out risking her life?  It may have been just that. While everyone was freaking out about Leona going Klaus and Steven were the most level headed about this situation. But deep down, Klaus was constantly in panic mode. Maybe Steven was the same, but at least he made an effort not to put his health in jeopardy. Klaus was trying to hide his panic from everybody mostly because of pride.  As leader he needed to be in control. But when it comes to Leona, it’s especially hard to keep in control.

In that moment he had to tell his old friend everything.

“I was scared, and embarrassed.  I’m this organization’s leader, Steven.  I’m supposed to set a good example for everyone at Libra.  Everyone expects to be as level headed as I can. But these hallucinations have gotten so bad that someone got hurt!  I even scared Glitter because of them! This damn mission have been making me lose my mind since day one. I thought I was only keeping my  building anxiety to myself so I could tell Leona when she came home that I was alright and I was completely in control while she was away. But…. I just can’t!  Leona’s crying in those tapes are constantly haunting my nightmares, and knowing what those monsters could do to her… I’ve been wanting to bring her home this whole time!  She doesn’t deserve to go through this by herself. I just want this damn mission to be over!”

Steven stared at his friend with widen eyes.  This mission has been eating away at him from the inside out.  This whole operation has been nothing but a shit show and Leona had to bare the entirety of it.  This really wasn’t fair to her, especially after what happened today. Steven really needed to tell Klaus what happened, but… now he wasn’t so sure.  He was already in pretty bad shape. The ice user worried this news would only make him feel worse. However, instead of just being a colleague he needed to be his best friend right now.

“Klaus, I think Leona would say that your feelings matter.  She doesn’t care that you’re the chief, you have every right to voice what’s bothering you.  And let’s be honest here, you voice your emotions more than you think. But this mission is way different than what we’re used to.  These people aren’t exactly the traditional monsters we’ve dealt with in the past. But you know, you’ve done pretty well up to now.  You still believed in her even on her bad days at the mansion. It’s as you’ve said, Klaus… she can still see the light… and those bitches haven’t broken her yet.”

Klaus was surprised.  He never really expected Steven of all people to use his number one motivational motto.  “Steven… I never thought you would use my number one code of honor on me.”

“Yeah well,  it’s helped me get through my toughest times too.”

“Thanks Steven.  I think it’s time I take my own advice again.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Now then, I’m sure you didn’t come here to just as a courtesy visit.  You also came to report on the latest evidence footage, correct?”

Steven took a swig of his lukewarm coffee.  He was secretly hoping that Klaus wouldn’t ask him about it.  “Well, yeah I was… but to be honest, I’ve been debating whether or not to discuss it with you until you’ve checked out of here.”

With how grim Steven’s voice became, Klaus was going to worry about it either way.  Just waiting for the inevitable would only make him lose sleep again. He needed to hear this. “How serious is the situation, Steven?”

“First of all Leona is fine.  Well, physically at least. But this did through her for a loop since it was so unexpected.  But then again it caught me off guard too…Klaus, Chris is… he’s dead…. they killed him.”

Klaus’ mouth went dry and the all too familiar iron taste was in his mouth.  Deep down he knew the Mamiya’s would be capable of killing an innocent life for the sake of money,  but the very thought of it made him sick. The vision of Marie was telling the truth! This was getting too dangerous.

“I…I don’t understand, I thought they were only going to sell him to a client!  I figured that if it did came to pass we could use the information of where he was being held once the mission was over and find him then!”

Steven sighed.  This was becoming a real mess.  He honestly didn’t take into consideration that the Mamiya’s would take part in “that” kind of business.  But then again, nothing surprised him at this point.

“Apparently, Lady Mamiya was having a difficult time trying to find a buyer for him that she had to move on to plan B.  I’m beginning to understand how Yuuna’s brother was able to obtain a compatible liver in such a short amount of time…”

“Illegal organ trading…”. Klaus growled as he said the very words that should never be uttered in the same sentence.

He gripped the sides of the hospital bed so hard that his knuckles turned white and he bit his lip to the point of bleeding. “SCHEIßE!  How could I not have seen this coming?! Who knows how many beyondians she had possibly killed! Oh god… Leona… she was taking care of him.  She did everything she could to make him healthy again. There’s no way she could have known that this would happen! What a cruel trick…. what organ was sold, Steven?”

“His heart… to be honest, I’m kind of glad you didn’t see this.  It was really bad… Leona had to watch the whole thing go down… she’d never seen someone die, especially not like this.”

“I was hoping she never had to…” Klaus said in a sad whisper.  He didn’t think things would get any worse…. but they did. Leona was probably crying in her sleep right now and he couldn’t even be there to comfort her.  

“However, before Chris died… and you’re not gonna believe this, even I’m having trouble comprehending it!  Layla’s been in the mansion the whole time!”

“She has?  Leona would have been able sense her aura in the mansion.  Nothing can get past her eyes.”

“Actually, now that I think about it, Leona wasn’t able to sense Chris’ presence either.  She could have seen his aura through the door when she first went into the basement and fiddled with that pin pad.”

“Do you think they might have some anti-beyondian technology in the mansion?”

“I wouldn’t rule that out.  Beyondians can be very resilient. But, if they had any materials or technology in the mansion that would make a beyondian or any other magical being weaker, then of course it would be difficult to escape.  It probably had a weakening effect on her eyes. They may be divine artifacts but even they have their limits. Do you think it would affect her powers as a blood breed, Klaus?”

Steven knew that Leona had gotten stronger after she was turned into a Zentai Don.  However, he didn’t know if anything the Mamiya’s had would weaken her abilities.

“No.  From what we currently understand, her blood breed abilities are still perfectly intact.  We saw her powers work on Ms. Sachie, remember? She can still put up a fight if she’s cornered.  I think it’s mostly her eyes that are affected.”

Steven let out an annoyed sigh.  “Yet another thing to look into…”

“But what about Chris’ wife?  What happened to Layla.”

Steven remembered the horrific image of his poor wife.  It was a really heartbreaking sight. “Layla… she… they pretty much turned her into a vegetable.  She said nothing. All she did was just stare into space. Not even Chris’ broken sobs could snap her out of it.  Not only that, even though she was supposedly sterile, she’s pregnant and heavily too. She’s probably in her eighth month by now…”

Klaus was about to throw up,  this was too much to bare. Just the thought of the their baby in the Mamiya’s clutches was making it harder for him to breath.  Steven was alerted to the accelerated beeps on the monitor. He felt ashamed at his mistake at telling him about Layla’s pregnancy.  Who knows what those people would do to that baby!

“Steven… you don’t think they would….”

Steven looked away from his distressed friend.  He didn’t want to say anything that would make him more upset.  Not only that, the very thought of the worst possible things happening to the child was too much to bare.  All he could say was, “We need to get them the fuck out of there…. Enough’s enough! Once Leona gets the footage of the missing persons, I’ll organize a plan for us to get her and the people being held hostage in the mansion, out.  It’s gonna take a few days but I’ll think of something.”

“Yes, I agree.  I want this mission to be completed as soon as possible.  Leona’s done well enough and she should come home before things get too out of hand than they already are… was there anything else on the tape?”

“Not much really, but it would seem Marika has gotten over her lust for Leona.”

Steven let out a sad sigh.  He felt bad for Leona when the eldest daughter showed her true colors in the cruelest way possible.  She always tried to see the good in people and she really thought that there was good in Marika because of how “nice” she was to her.  But it was all a lie. She possessed the same evil as her mother.

“Like mother like daughter, I swear…”

“To be honest, Steven… I’m not at all surprised.  She has That filthy Mamiya blood is running through her veins.  Of course she would mask her family’s cruelty behind a seductive smile.  Leona’s kindness shouldn’t be wasted on her.”

“I agree.  Well, afterward she stayed with Chris’ body for a while.  but when she was done with the morgue she immediately ran to her room and took off the glasses.  And that was it…”

Klaus rubbed his eyes under his glasses, trying to wipe away any oncoming tears.  “She probably didn’t want us to see her cry… god knows my heart wouldn’t be able to take it.”

“I don’t think mine would either, Klaus…”

The two men were silent for a while, only for it to be disturbed by Dr. Estevez rushing into the room.  Since it was really late most of the hospital’s patients were asleep, so she was in her normal adult form.  She was alerted by Klaus’s vitals and she wanted to make sure he was doing alright. “What’s going on in here?  Klaus, you need to keep your heart rate down. You shouldn’t get yourself worked up like this in your current condition.  You don’t want your fever to get any higher, do you? Whatever you guys are talking about it can wait till tomorrow. You can pick him up in the morning, Steven.”

“Right, sorry about that, Doctor.”

“Come on, I’ll show you out.  And Klaus, get some sleep.”

before they left, Dr. Estevez gave Klaus a sedative so he would be able to sleep through the night.  Soon enough he was fast asleep. When Steven and Luciana reaches the hospital’s entrance He stopped, so he could ask her a question.

“Dr. Estevez, I have to know… did a woman named Layla Davis came to this hospital?”

“Steven, you know I’m not allowed to give out patient info.  I could lose my job!”

“Luciana… this woman is in the hands of the Mamiya’s.  Not only that she’s pregnant even though she was supposed to be sterile.  I promise I won’t tell anyone about this.”

The good doctor was quiet for a short while.  She pinched the bridge of her nose underneath her glasses and let out a frustrated but relenting sigh.  “Okay, I’ll see what I can find. But you can’t tell anyone about this, got it?”

“Understood, also I have a feeling you’ll be getting more patients in your care soon.”

After Steven’s ominous foreshadowing he immediately left the hospital.

“I have no doubt about that, Mr. Starphase…”

 

The next day, Steven requested that Gilbert should take Klaus home.  Before Klaus checked out of the hospital, he had one more physical. Fortunately, his temperature went down, and his vitals were all normal.  He was still pretty weak so Dr. Estevez prescribed him at least one more day of strict bed rest, light meals, plenty of water, and some medicine to temporarily help him sleep better until Leona came back.  Klaus really didn’t want to rely on medication but he was desperate for at least a few nights of dreamless sleep until he was reunited with his beloved.

Klaus was quiet on the drive back to the apartment.  He felt bad that he made everyone worried, especially Gilbert.  He must have felt that he failed his master for not preventing this health scare.  Even though he was grateful to Gilbert for making sure he was okay throughout this very trying period, Klaus was still an adult who needed to be responsible for his health.  He couldn’t just rely on others to take care of him. But then again, he remembered Steven’s words of how Leona wouldn’t want him to suffer alone. God, did he miss her…

when Klaus and Gilbert we’re back at the apartment.  Before Klaus went to his bed, Gilbert drew him a relaxing bath with lavender oil first.  After the rough day he had, he really needed a nice long soak.

Klaus sat in the tub and melted into the nice warm water.  It felt wonderful on his strained muscles and bones.

Gilbert put his towel on the small table next to the tub for Klaus to use after he was finished with his bath.  “I’ll prepare your supper for you, Young Master. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.”

“You are too good to me Gilbert, thank you.”

The butler smiled behind his moustache and headed for the door.  However, there was a question that Klaus needed to ask.

“Hey Gilbert, do you think I’ve been immature about the whole mission with Leona and the Mamiya’s?”

Gilbert, the ever thoughtful butler that he is, was only too glad to dispense his wisdom on young master Klaus just like he did with Ms. Leona.

“I wouldn’t exactly say you have been immature, young sir.  But, I do know that this whole debacle has made you feel more nervous and scared than what you’re used to, especially with Ms. Leona involved.  I believe in moments like these, we tend to feel like we are a child trapped within an adult body. Mostly because we don’t know what to do in a crisis like this one.  But I also believe, that no matter how old we get we all deserve to be coddled a bit just to help us keep fighting another day.”

Klaus was pretty satisfied with his answer.  Even though he’s been keeping his feelings and troubles from his fellow Libra members, he did feel the need to have someone tell him that everything would be okay.

“I see, that does make sense.  Thanks, Gilbert.”

“Of course, sir.”

Once Gilbert left the bathroom, Klaus laid his head back against edge of the tub.  He cupped some of the bathwater in his hands and poured it on his chest. This was the first time since Leona left, that he felt this relaxed.  However, even though he was feeling more tranquil than he has been this past week, something was still bothering him. Nothing serious, but there was this tingling sensation in his stomach that he couldn’t ignore.  Being in the bath gave him the fond memories of his and Leona’s intimate activity the day when Leona made that phone call for the maid position.

Klaus still remembered the silky softness of Leona’s skin, her pounding heart behind her breast, and the warmth inside her womanhood.  He loves feeling those parts of her body, and he had a deep desire to pleasure her again. He wanted it so badly that it ached.

However, when Klaus thought of Leona washing him too.  The feeling of her small gentle hands on his breasts, washing them in circles from the outside all the way to his nipples.  Subconsciously, he was touching them in the way that Leona would and it made his bosom feel very tender and sensitive. His nipples were also reacting to the stimuli and they were getting very hard.  To Klaus it felt like an eternity since he Leona made love and not only that he hadn’t masturbated once since she left the city.

Klaus then came to the realization of how much he need this release.  ‘Of course I’d feel so sexually frustrated…. Because of the stress I’ve accumulated over the past week I have been unable to fully realize that I’ve been repressing myself.  Maybe… maybe if I…. I’ll be able to….”

“Oh!...oohhh...mmm...hahh.”  

Little did he know that his fingers were slowly gliding across his plump chest down his toned abdominals and descending onto his pulsing manhood.  His quiet breathing turned into heavy pants and moans as he held onto the elongated organ. In his mind, visions of his beautiful and brave beloved flashed before his eyes.  Strands of her flowing mane, coquettishly placed over her breasts as she is sprawled on a bed of soft satin, her little dolls feets pointed and touching every part of his body, quickly sending electric shocks of pleasure around his body, arousing him down to his very core.  The very thought of her hands caressing and gently squeezing his rotund breasts while sweetly sucking and nipping at his rusty mammilla was enough to send him over the edge. However, that would have to wait, when Leona begins to slowly push him down on the bed and straddled on top of him as she would tease his member with her own genitalia.  She would pepper kisses on both of his cheeks then on his fangs and then his lips. Leona would then maneuver his manhood carefully inside of her, moaning as it slides in like an eel. Their movements would start out slow of course, but then it would become faster and faster!

Klaus and Leona would be nearing their climax as the heat in their tummies would become more more intense.  His breathing and heartbeat reaching their peak as he is about to reach his much needed release.

“Hah… hah....Aahhh….aaahhh….Le….LEONA!!!”

As Klaus came down from his high, he wanted to finish their love making with a gentle kiss.  But as he opened his eyes, no one else was there but him. Even though he knew it was just an erotic fantasy, it felt so real.  However, the evidence of reality became painfully obvious when he noticed his hand with traces of his seed on it, as well as the strands floating around in the lukewarm bathwater.

The fact of his lonely state was too much for him that a lump formed in his throat that he couldn’t swallow down.  The tears kept coming until it turned into heart wrenching sobs. He kept crying to the point where felt uncomfortable down to the very core of his being.

Klaus was immediately snapped out of this state when he heard Gilbert knocking on the door.

“Young sir, you’re dinner is ready.  May I come in, please?”

Klaus rubbed the tears out of his eyes as fast as he could.  “Yes, please come in, Gilbert.”

When the bandaged butler came into the bathroom he noticed the red rims around his young master’s eyes.  “Are you alright, sir? I thought I heard whimpering…”

“Uh… yes, I’m fine, I-”

_Your feelings matter, Klaus…_

Before Klaus could come up with an excuse, he remembered what Steven told him while he was still in the ICU, and how Leona wouldn’t want him to keep his troubles all bottled up inside.  

He swallowed the lumps in his throat and said, “Actually, Gilbert… no, I’m not alright… I… I really miss Leona.  I want her home…”

Gilbert did feel bad that Klaus felt this way and he understood very well of what he was going through.  However, he was very relieved that his master was finally opening up to him about Leona.

Gilbert let out a contented sigh as he rubbed Klaus’ hair like when he was a little boy.  “I know, young sir… I know…”

 

Klaus calmed down a bit once he sat down to eat his evening meal.  A few stray tears would get lose and with the occasional sniffle, but he was still eating and that’s all Gilbert wanted for him.  He even asked for seconds! The combat butler had a hand in raising him ever since he was a tiny tot in diapers and seeing his young master in this state brought back so many memories he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.  But Klaus caught on to his butler’s odd behavior.

“What’s so funny, Gilbert?”

“Ohoho, oh forgive me young sir, this scenario made me remember something from your childhood that I can’t help but be fond of.  Remember the time when you were about six years old when the family dog dug up your flower bed?”

Klaus was quiet for a moment, but then his eyes lit up as the memories of that day came back.  “Oh yes, I remember now. Mother used to own a standard schnauzer, and he wasn’t a very obedient dog.  She spoiled him too much and he would would always find a way to get into mischief. The soil was all over the place and all the violets and orchids that I worked hard to plant were completely ruined.  I really couldn’t stand the little mongrel, to be honest.”

“Hohoho! Who could forget that little trouble maker?  I remember you were standing in front of the destroyed garden crying your little eyes out that I just had to cheer you up with the only thing I knew how to.  So, I took you into the kitchen, placed you on the stool near the counter, and made you your favorite food, liver and onions. You didn’t say a word, just sniffled while eating quietly.  I did get reprimanded by head maid Bates thinking I was spoiling your dinner, but I didn’t care. You needed some good comfort food.”

“Hm. It is pretty funny considering how similar these events are.”  Klaus admitted.

“I know this week has been very difficult for you, master Klaus, but do try to be patient.  She will come home very soon, you’ll see.”

“I’ll try Gilbert, thank you.”

The bandaged servant smiled through his mustache and went back to washing the dishes.

When Klaus went to bed, he felt very comfortable.  The past few nights he just kept tossing and turning in his sleep.  However, tonight was different. No nightmares, no hallucinations. Instead, he was dreaming of himself and Leona in a cabin on a lake somewhere surrounded by snow.  A fire that settled into a warm hearth was going while they were getting cozy and snuggled under a blanket. He knew what he wanted to do after this whole mess was dealt with.  This was the first night in days that he finally got a good night’s sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Leona woke up to the beeping of the alarm clock on her phone.  The time was 1:00 AM, she was a bit confused at first as to why she set her alarm for this time but quickly remembered that Mikako wanted to talk to Leona in her room.  Once the realization set in she quickly turned off the alarm and was fully alert. Sonic also woke up to the infernal beeping and was kind of pissed he was woken up.

He looked at his Mistress with a grumpy look in his eye.  He let out a high pitch growl, which Leona thought was too cute to take too seriously.

“Sorry sweetie, I have to talk to Mikako now.  Go back to sleep, okay.” She whispered

Sonic slowly closed his eyelids as he let out a tired hoot.

Once her companion went back to his slumber, Leona put on her camera glasses since she thought Libra would be interested to hear what she had to say.  She went out of her room and quietly shut her door so she wouldn’t disturb her neighbor. Leona walked across the hall to Mikako’s bedroom door and softly knocked.

“Pssst...Mikako.  Are you awake?”

There was a short silence, but she soon answered.  “Are you alone?”

“Yep, it’s just me.”

“Okay, you can come in now.”

As she thought, Mikako’s room was the same as hers in decor. Well, they were servants after all with no need for finery like the family.  And of course like herself and Sachie she had the same nightie which left very little to the imagination. While the negligee did fit Mikako’s size, her corpulent breasts were still spilling out of that thing.  However, this was kind of the first time Leona saw Mikako wear something other than her uniform and her hair wasn’t tied back. Leona couldn’t help but blush at how beautiful she was. If she had to be honest, she surpassed the Mistress by a long shot because she didn’t have her rotten personality.  Leona imagined she would look absolutely stunning in a long sundress, a shawl, a pendant necklace, and her hair done in a side ponytail. She had the perfect figure for that. But alas, she couldn’t wear anything else except for that god awful uniform.

Mikako took Leona’s hand and led her to the bed.  Wanting to feel more comfortable and relaxed Leona sat on the foot of the bed either legs crossed while Mikako sat with hers on the side.  

Leona could tell that the violet haired woman was getting nervous.  At first she felt paranoid when she thought she heard footsteps at the door.  But it was probably just someone needing to use the toilet.

Mikako took a deep breath.  “I’m sorry if I’m feeling a little on edge.  It’s just I’ve never told anyone what I’m about to tell you.  To be honest, this whole mess my family’s gotten into has been such a blur I don’t even know where to start.”

Leona took Mikako’s hand and rubbed her thumb in small circles to help calm her down.

“It’s okay… just start at the beginning.  What was your life like before you worked for the Mamiya’s?”

Mikako sighed as she remembered her more than content past.  “It was quite happy, to be honest. Remember the restaurant that was discussed the night Yukito and Yuuna came into the mansion?  Well, Narciso was owned by my husband and I.”

Leona was shocked.  Not only did Mikako worked there as a high class chef, she was the original owner alongside her husband!

“Holy crap!  I can’t believe you were the owner of a world renowned restaurant!”

Mikako smiled as remembered her time as a successful business owner fondly.

“Yes, it was very exciting.  Not only that, I was also three months pregnant with Makoto when we first opened Narciso.  It was a lot of hard work, but the restaurant went off without a hitch. And after six months of waiting, my son was born when our restaurant got its first michelin star!  It was truly the happiest time for myself and Yukihiro. Our business was going swimmingly and we had big plans to grow our family. Yes, everything was practically perfect…”

Mikako’s smile faltered.  Leona knew that this story was not going to have a happy ending.  Her being in this dreadful place was evident of that.

“However, by the time Makoto turned twelve, the Mamiya’s were in progress of a special project of their own.  They had already bought out all of the property in our area but my husband and I refused to sell the restaurant.  It took us years of hard work to get that place up and running and we certainly weren’t going to to give that up.”

When Leona first arrived at the mansion, she always thought of Mikako as someone very weak willed.  At first, Mikako looked like the type of person to keep her head down so she would meet the approval of others.  Who would have thought that Mikako was truly brave, and was willing to do everything to keep her business afloat!  Leona began to see her senior in an entirely new light and she loved seeing her so enthusiastic that she wished she was more like this.  But after living in this mansion for so long your spirit would eventually be sucked right out of you. And that’s what happened to Mikako.

“What happened when you decided not to sell?”

“Things were still okay at first.  We were still getting customers and we were still making money.  However, the Mamiya group just kept hounding us to sell the place, constantly doubling the price to change our minds but we always told them no.  But then, that’s when things took a turn for the worst.”

“What did they do?”

“After we refused their offer, they began giving us idle threats of what would happen if we didn’t sell.  That’s all we thought at first, that they were just threats with no meaning behind them. But… my husband and I… we underestimated the Mamiya group’s power.”  

Mikako went on how the the threats started out small at first.  Just little things that could be easily fixed. “The first wave was mostly small vandalism.  Basically, just lewd and crass graffiti written on the front of the restaurant. We were able to wash them off and everything was okay.  A few of our patrons got nervous but it wasn’t a big deal at the time.”

However, things were getting really scary as their problems escalated.

“Next, the events became more violent.  One night during the dinner rush, a rock was thrown through one of the windows.  The stone as well as the broken glass really hurt one of our most loyal patrons. That was when we noticed at least half of our regulars stopped coming.  We tried to keep ourselves and our remaining regulars calm but these acts just kept getting worse.”

“My god… did you go to the police?  Were you able to figure out who the vandals were?”

“We did go to the police, more than once.  When they asked us what happened before the vandalism started, I told them that a few representatives from the Mamiya group came and gave us a big offer for our restaurant.  When I mentioned the Mamiya name they said they would do everything they could… but they didn’t do a damn thing… the Mamiya’s had the law enforcement under their thumbs and we were left to fend for ourselves.  As for who the vandals were, I have no idea. But, I do know that it was either someone from the Mamiya group, or some poor schmuck they paid to do those horrible things.”

Leona was speechless as Mikako told her how useless the police were in helping her.  She couldn’t believe how spineless and cowardly the law enforcement acted towards the Mamiya’s.  But, she knew that anyone could persuaded by bribery and threats. Even though this mission was hard she was glad Libra was involved.  Being the vigilante group that they are they wouldn’t be easily persuaded by bribes. Even though Klaus wouldn’t admit it, they loved the thrill of the hunt for evil monsters.  And the Mamiya’s were pure evil. As devious as the thought was, Leona couldn’t wait for her team to have their fun with these people. They would hand them over to the proper authorities, of course.  However, the Mamiya’s were getting cocky and that always meant trouble in the end. These people made a huge mistake of messing with the people of Hellsalem’s Lot. And Chris was included to since he was a citizen of the original New York City but he belonged in Hellsalem’s Lot all the same.  Leona was determined to save his child from this place… no matter the cost.

Mikako continued on how things were only going more and more downhill.  After the broken windows, more of their regulars stopped coming. The place was getting too dangerous to stay around.  Soon after that, their stock began to suffer. “After we would lock up, the vandal would turn off our electricity and everything in the walk-in fridge and freezer would rot overnight.  When my husband, the staff, and myself would come in for work everything was rotten beyond consumption that we couldn’t replace it in time for the dinner rush. This kept happening more and more.  Soon, one by one our staff quit on us. We were constantly losing money because of all the vandalism and everyone of our patrons stopped coming.”

“Jesus… is did you guys finally decide to sell the place when everything was getting too much to handle?”

Mikako’s face went dark.  She couldn’t look at Leona in the eyes due to her shame.  Her decisions had left her family in serious financial trouble and she felt it was all her fault.  When Mikako looked at her junior, her eyes were glassy with tears.

“My husband told me that it was time for us to sell… but I didn’t want that.  It was our place, Leona! We put all of our savings into that restaurant! I didn’t want to give up everything we worked so hard for… But ever since my son and I came here…trying to preserve a dying restaurant wasn’t worth my family’s suffering.”

“So what did you do?”

“We took out different loans.  At first we asked close friends and family for help.  They did all they could but it wasn’t enough. Then we tried banks and that did help the restaurant a little bit, but more problems arose from those loans and soon enough we were up to our eyeballs in debt.  And when we were finally forced to sell the restaurant, the Mamiya’s bought the property for practically nothing….”

“No way… so you didn’t make anything off the restaurant.  But, what about your debt?”

“We were already flat broke and we were over $2,999,000 in debt.  However, one of the subsidies that was owed the largest amount of the debt was from the Mamiya group.  We didn’t realize this until it was too late. So in order to pay off the debt, my husband has been working everyday from doing office work to menial odd jobs to pay off the debt.  Makoto and I are only working here as collateral until my husband pays off the debt.”

“Collateral?”  Leona asked in confusion.

“It means that my son and I aren’t being paid for working as servants here.  And if my husband is unable to pay back the debt….it’s more than likely my son and I will be sold off to one of the Mistress’s associates.  My husband was able to pay off more than half of the debt. But as I see him each month, his health is only getting worse and he would lose his jobs because of how exhausted he is… I have a feeling that we’ll… well, you know.”

Leona was shaking in anger.  Not at Mikako but at the Mamiya’s.  These people were worse than monsters, they were devils!  How dare they trick Mikako and her family like this?! It was her restaurant, not theirs!  Forcing the Nonohara’s into debt just so they could get their restaurant was beyond unjust!

“These people…. I’ve met beyondians who show more humanity than most huma… but these people… they have no compassion, no empathy, but worst of all they have no honor!  Their wealth was founded on the suffering of others and are willing to separate families from each other as long as they make a profit. The Mamiya’s are nothing but devils in human clothing!”

Mikako already knew that, the moment the Mamiya’s bought out the properties in her area.  That’s why she wanted to take a stand against them. She wanted to show them that not everything belonged to them!  But what did that give her? In the end, that just ended up giving herself and her family nothing but heartache.

“Leona… I’ve already accepted that all of this was my fault.  I know my husband won’t be able to cover the debt in time. All I want is for my son to be safe.  Maybe… maybe someone will be able to take better care of him than I have.”

Leona could only look at her in shock.  She couldn’t be serious?!

“And what?  Have Makoto be a toy for someone else?  Mikako, even if he was treated differently than the Mamiya’s do right now, he would still be  treated the same as he is here, a toy! And that doesn’t sound any better than death!”

Her violet haired friend had tears in her eyes.  She was so tired and so frustrated that she just wanted everything to just end!

“I’ve tried so hard, Leona!  But in the end I was just being stubborn!  I should have sold the damn restaurant when I had the chance.  Maybe then my family wouldn’t have to suffer like this. I would give anything to get my boy out of here!  I would happily trade my life for his!”

In this moment, this scenario was very familiar to Leona.  She remembered how much she didn’t want her sweet brother to lose his sight just so she could receive the all-seeing-eyes of the gods.  She was willing to go to hell and back to find a cure to restore her baby brother’s sight and try to restore his legs too if she was lucky.  But in the end that wasn’t meant to be. However, Klaus constantly told her everyday how brave she was and how proud he was of her. That even though there were times she would be afraid and would have trouble moving, with the proper nudge she would always move towards the light!  Perhaps, Mikako needed that little nudge too.

She got up from the bed and kneeled in front of the distraught Mikako.  Leona took both of her hands in her own and looked her in the eye.

“Mikako… I know you’ve tried hard to protect your son and I know you are still trying.  You and your family didn’t deserve the life that was forced upon you so unfairly. But… I want to tell you something that someone very special told me. _You are not a coward.  The reason being, is that you are still standing here and you haven’t given up.  If you are willing to take even one step towards the light, then your spirit can never be broken!_  You see, your husband hasn’t given up, so why should you?  The Mamiya’s did hurt you and your son, but they didn’t break you!  You’re still fighting to keep what’s left of your relationship with your boy even if they ruined it.  So please… don’t give up. If not for me, then do it for your son.”

That moment in time, Leona noticed how Mikako’s eyes had glistened after telling her not give up on Makoto.  Even though she was hurt, she felt a newfound hope in her words. The Mamiya’s did everything to break her and her son’s spirits and sadly it worked.  But Leona… she was truly a beacon of hope. Hearing the raw emotion in her voice when she quoted her special someone’s words, Mikako knew she went through her own hardships too.  But even so those hardships didn’t stop her. In fact, it made her stronger. When Mikako came to the mansion she felt she didn’t have anyone to rely on, but that was no longer true.  She had her precious baby boy and now she found a friend and saving grace in Leona!

Overcome with emotion by Leona’s words of encouragement, Mikako quickly wrapped her arms her back.  She placed her head on Leona’s shoulder as she cried in her untamed mane of chestnut hair.

“Thank you, Leona….  after what they did to my son, I had lost hope.  I’ve felt nothing but shame and humiliation for not doing anything to stop them.  I thought what courage that I had was gone! But… you gave it back to me! After all this time I’ve spent here I thought heroes were nothing but of myths and legends.  But now that you are here, I can finally believe in them again! Because you… you’re my hero, Leona.”

Leona felt a lump in her throat.  This was so overwhelming to her. Even though she helped save so many lives thanks to her time at Libra, this was the first time someone called her “their” hero.  She thought she didn’t deserve to be called that after what happened to Chris.

“But… I let Chris down.  I couldn’t save him-“

“That’s not true!  The Mamiya’s had neglected him the moment they threw him in that cell.  You brought him back to health, Leo! You talked to him, listened to him, you’re friendship with Chris was the best final gift you could give him.  His death was not your fault! The Mamiya’s are the ones who killed him, not you. But, during his last days on earth you became his hero too, I know you have!”

Leona stopped and started at Mikako while she kept praising her heroism.  That was the first time she called her by her nickname.

“Mikako, That was the first time you called me Leo… does that mean we’re friends now?”

Mikako smiled as she placed her hand on Leona’s cheek.  “Very much so.”

 

At around 2:30 Leona decided to go back to her room and get a few more hours of sleep.  However, she went to bed very happy. Yesterday was the most terrible day since she came to the Mamiya estate.  She was still mourning Chris’ death but talking with Mikako made her feel better. Mikako was finally Leona’s ally and she was truly grateful for that.  However, before she went back to her room, She did tell Mikako that she came to the estate for a purpose. Leona really did want to tell her however, Mikako stopped her before she could.  Call it a mother’s intuition, but she somehow knew that Leona wasn’t a college student. But, the years of working for the Mamiya’s had made her a bit paranoid. Whatever was Leona’s purpose was for coming to the mansion, she would know when the time was right.  Leona was glad that she was so understanding of her situation and she did promise she would know more about her soon.

In her bed, Leona stared at the ceiling.  She couldn’t go back to sleep right away as she couldn’t help but think about Mikako’s plight.  She and her son really were slaves since they weren’t even paid. And her poor husband was out there working himself to death so he could pay the rest of this massive debt.  Mikako is such a sweet and hardworking woman who didn’t deserve this sadness. As her eyelids slowly closed, she was determined to help get Mikako and her family back on their feet once this mission is over.  Hopefully, Libra would be open to helping them out too along with the rest of the survivors.

 

The next morning Leona was very reluctant to go down to breakfast.  After what happened to Chris and what Mikako told her last night, she felt nothing but contempt for the family.  She was worried she would end up stabbing her breakfast fork into the Mistress’ hand if she even dared talk about the money she made off of Chris’ heart.  But she knew she couldn’t avoid her forever. She needed to know if she was going to be able to come in contact with the beyondians that day. On the plus side, she didn’t have to be on time for breakfast so she decided to get her garden duties done first before attending breakfast.  

She never did get tired of tending the garden.  This really was her only way to get to the outside world even if she was trapped behind the gates.  She walked to the gate so she could stare at the scenery in the distance. She still wished she could have helped Chris to escape.  Leona was trying to get over the tragic event, but it was hard. She lost someone whom, even though they only knew each other for a short amount of time, considered him to be a good friend.  She needed to get his wife and child out of this place and soon.

As she turned around to go back to the mansion, she noticed Sachie smoking her morning cigarette.  Fortunately, she hadn’t showed any signs of remembering what had happened to her. However, after Sachie threatened to hand her over to the Mistress, Leona’s been keeping her guard up around her.  She even tried to avoid interacting with her as much as possible. But, it would seem avoiding her wasn’t an option this time since Sachie was staring straight at her.

She blew out some smoke and gave her a friendly smile.  “Heeey, Leo~”

Leona wasn’t in the mood to appeal to her foolishness, so she merely gave her a curt, “good morning.”

Sachie, who clearly wasn’t happy with that response, threw her cigarette on the recently cleaned pavement, much to Leona’s annoyance.

“Seriously?  I just cleaned here.”

“Well, maybe you should consider giving me a nicer response next time.”

“You know, I’m beginning to wonder why Mikako isn’t head maid here.  At least she’s nice and treats her job seriously.”

“Hey, I’m nice!”

“You’re a lazy good-for-nothing, with a serious gambling problem, and you constantly try to swindle cash out of the juniors.”

“Ugh, that’s not important!  The Mistress wants you to join her for breakfast right now.  She says she wants to talk to you about something.”

Leona was afraid of that.  But she needed to know if she’ll be able to start her caretaking job with the beyondians today.

“Alright, I’ll be in the dining room soon.”

“Good.  I don’t know what she wants to talk to you about, but since the big party is in just a few days she probably needs all hands on deck, including yours.”

She completely forgot about that!  She recalled the Mistress told her about the Mamiya’s annual summer party.  Apparently a bunch of big wigs will be attending this shindig. There was no doubt in her mind that the guests would be just as sexually depraved as the Mistress and her children.  She really hoped she would just have to serve drinks and other refreshments that day and nothing else. Leona didn’t want to think about the other stuff she would probably have to do.

When Leona entered the dining room, Mikako was there ready to serve her her breakfast.  It was a big omelette served with a salad on the side. But what made it better was the sweet smile she gave Leona as she served it.  She was certainly in a very cheerful mood this morning than when she was before their talk. The Mistress, who was sitting in her usual spot at the head of the table, also took notice of Mikako’s new change in her attitude.

“You’re certainly chipper today, Mikako.  Did something happen recently?”

Mikako stared silently at Leona then quickly back to the Mistress.  “Nothing in particular, Madame. I just think it’s just a beautiful day outside.”

The Matriarch was a bit suspicious with her answer but, decided to shrug it off.

“I see…. well, that doesn’t matter.  Leona, as I told you yesterday I was quite pleased with your caretaking duties last week, and I think you’re ready to move on to my more delicate assets here at the estate.  However, I plan for you to start your new duties tomorrow. Considering we have the party coming up soon, I need my staff to work especially hard to make it a success. So for this afternoon only, you will be joining the rest of the household staff in today’s lesson.”

Leona felt her stomach drop straight down to her toes.  She desperately hoped that she would never have to join the lessons while she was here.  The Mistress took notice of her distressed face and gave a sadistic smile. However, she reassured her in her usual calm tone that reeled suckers in.

“Oh, there’s no need to be so nervous!  Considering you are so experienced already, you probably won’t have to do anything drastic.  It’s only just going to be a quick lesson today, so there’s no need for worries!”

This didn’t make her feel any better.  All she could do was nod silently and just eat her breakfast.  Even though it was made with care by Mikako’s hands it sat like a rock in her stomach due to her frazzled nerves.  Mikako was also worried about Leona taking part in the lesson too, so she decided to just be good friend to her and comfort her afterwards, just like Leona did for her last night.

 

Leona tried to take her mind off of what was to come that afternoon with work.  But soon enough it was it was 12:00 in the afternoon and her bracelet started beeping.

“Hello?”

“It’s time for today’s lesson, Leona!  Please come to the lesson room immediately.”

“Yes, Madame… ri-right away!”

Sachie suddenly appeared and she put a hand on her shoulder.  “Don’t worry, it’ll be over before you know it.”

Leona doubted that very much.

Leona arrived at the Lesson room with Sachie in tow.  When she got there, she didn’t expect to see the Mamiya’s in nothing but their underwear, including the servants!  However, the only difference was that the maids were still in their aprons and headbands while they were in their undies.

The Mistress clapped her hands together and offered her trademark smile to the stunned brunette.  “Leona! So glad you could join us today!”

She made it sound like this whole thing wasn’t planned.

“As you can see Leona, everyone who comes into this room are required to strip down to their underwear.  I suggest you would follow your co-workers example.”

Leona looked at everyone in the room, Poor Mikako and Yuuna looked so embarrassed while Sachie and the Mamiya’s were just casual with the whole thing.  Makoto was as red as a tomato since this would be his first time seeing Leona in her underwear. However, Yukito had this unsettling smirk on his face. Leona knew that he’s been wanting this since he and Yuuna first started these damned lessons.

She sighed and said, “I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”

Marisa walked in front of her with her undefined boobs swinging in her face.  Just as Leona originally thought when she first met her, that bra may as well be a decoration.

“No, you don’t have choice dipshit.  So I suggest you stop complaining and start stripping!”

Not wanting to hear her grating voice anymore, she did as she was told, matching all the maids state of dress perfectly.  Once all the servants were assembled and accounted for, the Mistress proceeded with the afternoon lesson plan.

“Today’s lesson is going to be a bit different.  Not only do we have Leona with us, but today’s theme is a bit unique.  Today we’ll be covering covering a short demonstration on BDSM! I’m sure the newbies know what it is but just as a refresher, it stands for bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, and sadomasochism.”

To Leona it was almost funny when the Mistress mentioned BDSM was today’s lesson.  Even though she hadn’t been taking part in the lessons she couldn’t help but think all the lessons had been BDSM related.  The only reason why this was “almost” funny was because Leona was required to participate this time.

Before the Mistress could continue the lecture, Yukito interjected since he seemed to be rather confused by today’s theme.

“Uhh, not to interrupt but hasn’t everything we’ve been doing BDSM?  Only the servants have only been receiving the bondage, submission, and masochism part of the lessons so far.”

“That is a good point, Yukito.  But what will make today’s lesson different is that some of you will actually be doing the dominance today!  Not only that, I will need everyone to preserve their strength for the party so no intercourse will be involved in this demonstration.”

Leona could have sworn he saw Yukito’s eyes light up when the Mistress said some of the servants would be handling the reins in this lesson.  He even made eye contact with her for a bit, Leona quickly avoided his gaze.

“Yuuna, Mikako, since you two have been working so hard during the lessons last week, you two will just be observing today.”

They both looked to be relieved that they will finally be taking a break this lesson.  They must have really been baring the majority of the abuse from these so-called lessons.

The Mistress continued on what the afternoon’s demonstration will be.  “Today’s exercise is going to be to be brief. For the demonstration two out of the four of you participating will be using a classic tool of BDSM play… the humble whip.”

With that she gave the tool a quick and loud snap that made Leona cringe.  It really did sound like it hurt.

“Sachie, you will be Makoto’s dominating partner in this demonstration.”

Sachie took her whip and gave Makoto a wink and a smile.

“Don’t worry Makoto I’ll be gentle… probably…”

The poor boy was shaking like a newborn lamb.  Leona was glad that Mikako will be getting a break but her son probably haven’t been getting enough breathers.  She felt like if one Nonohara isn’t getting roughed up then the other has to suffer, which was completely unfair.  Mikako was feeling the same, because she really didn’t want to see her son in that position.

“Madame, I know I was told to observe, but I really would like to take my son’s place.”

The Mistress was rather surprised by her request.  She has been so complacent up till now, what changed?  However, despite the new behavior, the Mistress was just glad her slowly breaking the cook had made her more submissive.

“Well, aren’t you a glutton for punishment, Mikako… very well, Makoto you will be observing the demonstration along with Yuuna.”

The Mistress was both right and wrong.  Mikako wasn’t doing it because she wanted to be submissive, she was trying to  make up for not protecting Makoto enough. However, Mikako felt that she needed some form of atonement for not being a good enough mother to her boy.  She was willing to follow Leona’s advice, but she really needed to do this first.

Makoto looked at his mother in worry.

“Mama… you don’t… you don’t have to do this.”

Mikako smiled as she ruffled his golden locks.  “Don’t worry, your mom is a tough old girl.”

Leona felt so proud of Mikako.  She was practically glowing with her newfound positivity.  Even though she didn’t want her friend to get hurt anymore, she understood why she needed to participate.

The Mistress, clearly impatient with Mikako ordered her to remove her apron and brazier.  She had her back faced towards Sachie and her arms resting on the wall.

The only two servants left to participate were Leona and Yukito.  The Mistress smiled a scheming smile at Yukito. She knew exactly what she wanted out of him.

“Yukito… why don’t you be the dominant in this demonstration?  I mean, Leona’s job here has been rather lenient and she never even had to attend the lessons.  All she did was be a caretaker and hung out and give service to all her charges needs while you and Yuuna have been working so hard in becoming official servants!  That doesn’t seem fair… now does it?”

Yukito looked at Leona with great disdain.  In his mind everything the Mistress said was true.  Everyday for the past week Leona was just getting chummy with her new buddy.  She was probably sucking his dick so she could get paid more! All this time while Yuuna’s been suffering the most, Leona’s had it easy just like that lazy blue haired bitch!  But now… now she was finally going to feel the same humiliation that Yuuna had to go through!

“No… it isn’t.”

When Yukito said it, Leona felt the room grow colder than Steven’s Esmeralda blood freeze technique.  But she knew what the Mistress was trying to play at. It didn’t matter if Leona had a higher position at the mansion.  She was still a pawn and the Mistress would do anything to demonize one servant just to improve her own image.

“Leona, you don’t mind do you dear?”

Leona put her head down and clenched her fists.

_So… this is what your cruel game is gonna be today, huh?  You want me to play? Fine, I’ll fucking play!_

Without saying a word to any of these people, Leona aggressively took off her apron and strapless bra.  She threw them on the ground and went to join Mikako against the wall. She placed her ponytail to her front so her back was completely exposed and then she slammed her arms on the wall.

Mikako was worried for her friend.  This attitude was very hostile even for someone like Leona.  She was probably just trying to put on a brave face, but…

“Leona, are you going to be okay?”

Without making eye contact she said, “I’ll be fine.”

With that, both Sachie and and Yukito were handed their whips. And were ready to perform the demonstration.

“Alright, on my mark… ready… go!”

Yukito didn’t hesitate in starting his first lashing.  It did sting Leona but she didn’t care. She needed to feel this.  But she wasn’t doing this to get Yukito to trust her. She knew that he couldn’t.  To him she was just some freak from the city, who was no different than Sachie. No, she was doing this for Chris.  This was her atonement for failing to prevent his death. She knew that Mikako told her his death wasn’t her fault, but she wasn’t a normal employee.  She is a blood breed after all and she would have been more than capable of fighting off the Mamiya’s so he could escape… but she couldn’t do it…. However, there was something she can do now.  She is also doing this for Layla, promising that she will do everything in her power to get her and their baby out of this place.

Not only that, this was her promise to find Anna’s sister, and the rest of the beyondians being held captive!

The rest of the lashes were getting more intense.  As a blood breed she is a fast healer, but her back felt like it was on fire.

Leona turned her head to see how Mikako was faring.  She looked like was trying to be brave but Leona knew she was hurting more than she was.  

Leona really didn’t like this feeling.  She and Klaus liked to get a bit kinky and enjoyed some playful biting and roleplaying, they always agreed to say a safe word if things were getting too intense for their liking.  In this case a safe word wasn’t an option. But, all of a sudden the whipping stopped. Sachie was still going but Yukito just suddenly…stopped? That seemed out of character for him. Maybe he had a change of heart and realized what he was doing was wrong?

“I don’t believe I told you to stop Yukito.”  Said the Mistress.

“I know… but… can I do the front this time?”

The way he said it, sent a shiver down Leona’s spine.  Yukito sounded like a completely different person! It almost sounded like he was possessed.

The Mistress was surprised by his answer, but with a sadistic smile, gave him permission to do the front.

“Hmhmhm… of course, Yukito.  With that attitude you might even be ranked to head butler one day.  Leona, turn around!”

She turned around slowly, and what she saw next, froze her down to her very core.  That face… Yukito’s face had a twisted smile and his eyes looked completely manic… he was possessed, but not by a demon.  His very soul was in the Mistress’s grasp. The idea of money and endless sex was easily enticing for someone like him. Marika’s words really began to worry Leona.  It would seem that Yukito had become the flower of the Mamiya’s evil…

 

After a very painful hour of that awful BDSM demonstration, Leona was completely wiped out.  Her legs had given out from exhaustion as she just sat on the floor with her uniform hugged tightly to her chest.  Mikako kneeled beside her, rubbing her back in comfort. She was grateful but the humiliation still lingered. She finally knew what poor Yuuna had to go through since she came here, and she felt so mortified.

“Well, this was certainly a successful lesson!  Yukito, you seem to have proven to be the MVP today!  Keep up the good work! Everyone did pretty well too. That will be all for this afternoon.  Please, clean up the lesson room and continue with your duties.”

As the Mamiya’s were about to walk out the door, Marika lingered and placed a hand on Yukito’s shoulder.

“Nicely done, Yukito… maybe you could show me your other skills sometime.  In. My. Room…”

Yukito smiled at the elder daughter’s non-subtle flirting attempt.

“I’ll think about it.”

Marika giggles as she slid her hand down his back as she moved out the door.

Leona couldn’t believe her ears.  Yuuna was right there, and the poor thing looked so betrayed and hurt by his response.  Leona thought she saw a tear in the corner of her eye. That was when she snapped. She was 100% done with his bullshit.  She stood up from her place and gave him a deadly glare.

“You’re really low, you know that?”

Yukito was surprised by Leona speaking after that demonstration.  He thought for sure that would have broken her.

“Huh, You’re actually talking after getting your ass beat?  I’m not gonna lie, it felt pretty damn good to finally see you in your place like that.  I guess the Mistress decided to finally give you a break from your boy toy huh?”

His comment really did hit her right in the gut.  He didn’t know what had really happened to Chris.

“She didn’t give me a break, you idiot!  Chris… he...he’s dead… and no he was not my fucking boy toy!  The whole time I was with Chris I never touched him once! This whole damn time you’ve been nothing but an asshole to me, and now you’re being one to Yuuna as well after the way you were flirting with Marika!”

The raven haired boy was stunned by Leona’s outspokenness.  But not wanting to be treated like a bad guy in this, he tried to think of an excuse.

“Oh, c’mon I was only trying to be friendly.”

“God, you really are pathetic!  You can’t even come up with a good excuse.  You’re so dense that you have no idea that all of this, what the Mamiya’s are doing, is bigger than you can even imagine!”

Leona was so angry that she was beginning to cry.  The weight of this mission was like cement on her shoulders.

“You know, I kept thinking that if I helped Chris escape then maybe he would still be alive.  His poor wife is in the basement right now completely brain dead and heavily pregnant with their child.  I… I don’t even know if I can save them… but even so, I’m going to try to save them if it’s the last thing I do!”

Leona quickly put on her uniform, she didn’t want to be in this room anymore than she had to.  But, before she left, she grabbed the whip from Yukito’s hand and she said,

“And just so you know… This. Didn’t. HURT ME!”

She threw the whip at his feet and power walked out of the room.

Mikako, concerned for her friend quickly went after her along with Makoto.

The only people left in the room was Yukito and Yuuna.

The brunette, who remained silent throughout the lesson decided to finally speak up towards Yukito’s disgusting behavior towards their senior.

“You really ought to be ashamed of yourself, Yukito.”

The young man was dumbfounded by Yunna’s declaration of her disappointment in him.

“What?  Yunna, weren’t you envious at all by Leona’s position?  All she did was take care of some dude while you had to suffer the most!”

“Yukito, she didn’t get this position simply to screw us over!  The only person whose made her out to be vindictive is you!  Neither of us knew what she was going through this past week.  The person whom she was taking care of must have been in so much pain.  If Leona really didn’t care for him, she wouldn’t have been so distressed when we saw her walking down the hall yesterday.”

“Yuuna, I…”. He felt a ball of lead drop in his stomach.  Has he really been that much of a bastard to Leona?

“I admit she’s a little strange but she’s not a bad person.  The Mistress and her family, are the only ones trying to put us against each other!  If you keep that up you would be playing right into their hands… I saw the look in your eyes when I saw you hurting Leona, Yukito… it frightened me.  It was as if you really were becoming like the Mamiya’s… however, the way you were acting around Marika, I suppose you’ve already had.

“Yuuna!  I swear, I-I didn’t mean…”

“I’d like to believe you, I really do.  I want to believe you are as genuine and kind as when I first met you…. you know, when we made love that night after that horrendous first lesson… I really thought you cared about me.”

“Of course I do!  I really do care for you, Yuuna!”

“I know you do!  But you can’t be cruel to someone else just for my sake and to justify your own actions.  Until you learn to do that, maybe we should…”

Yuuna, please don’t do this…”

Yuuna looked at him one last time before she left to continue her kitchen duties.

“I have to get back to work.  See you at dinner, Yukito…”

He was all alone in the lesson room.  He picked up the whip off the ground and stared at it for a long time.  He really did fuck up big time.

 

Leona was back in her room.  She was sitting on her bed hugging her pillow to her chest.  Sonic was taking an afternoon nap. As much as she wanted some cuddles from her little fuzzy friend she didn’t want to wake him up.  Before she went back to her room, Mikako asked if she wanted to talk about what happened. Leona was happy that she cared but she really needed her alone time.  However, the loneliness was too much for her. Even though she was blocking him since she came to the mansion, she really wanted to talk to her master right now.

_“Jack, are you there?  I really… I need to talk to you.”_

There was some silence, but suddenly…

“ _I’m here Leona.  You know I am always free to talk if you ever need me.”_

Leona started tearing up.  It felt so wonderful to finally speak to someone from Hellsalem’s Lot that she couldn’t help herself from crying.

“ _You have no idea how happy I am to hear your_ _voice, Jack.”_

_“Poor, child… you’ve been through quite an ordeal haven’t you?  I know you’ve been at the Mamiya estate looking for the missing beyondians.”_

_“How did you know?”_

_“Your beloved Klaus told me you were.  Also, he wanted me to send a message to you, that if any of the Mamiya’s tried anything funny, that you shouldn’t hesitate to use your powers.”_

Leona was happy that Klaus went out of his way to give her this message.  Although, it wasn’t necessary since she wasn’t going to let them touch her anyway and was willing to use her powers anyway if that happened.  But still, she was grateful all the same.

“ _I guess I figured he would tell you sooner or later.  You haven’t told anyone else in our coven, have you?”_

_“No, I thought it was best you told them yourself when you were ready.”_

_“Thank you, I appreciate that.  How was Klaus by the way? Is he doing alright?”_

_“He is worried about you, but he’s hanging in there for your sake.”_

_“I see… um Jack… can I ask you a favor?”_

_“Certainly, just name it.”_

_“Can you send a message to Klaus for me?  I’d hate to ask but my smartphone is completely useless up here in the mountains.”_

_“Of course, what would you like me to tell him?”_

_“Actually, Jack… you might want to get a pen and paper.  This is gonna take a while.”_


	17. Chapter 17

When Klaus woke up the morning after his hospital discharge, he felt better than ever!  He had no nightmares, no hallucinations, no wakings up in the middle of the night, nothing!  When he went to the bathroom mirror he noticed the dark circles under his eyes had dissipated and his skin returned to it’s naturally healthy tan glow (Those lavender baths really did wonders).  He even ate his breakfast that morning when Gilbert came to prepare it. The bandaged butler was really happy that his young master’s appetite had returned and that he wasn’t suffering from anymore nightmares.  He really did applaud Bradbury General’s advanced medical facility. Klaus really did look as good as new! Gilbert supposed that health scare that happened to Klaus taught him to no longer neglect his health and to find a better way to handle his stress and anxiety throughout the remainder of the mission.

However, when Klaus requested that he wanted to go to Libra HQ that morning, Gilbert was somewhat reluctant.  Klaus was feeling much better, but still it was only a few days since he was discharged from the hospital. He didn’t want his  young master to worry himself sick again. Klaus knew that Gilbert would be worried about that. So, he made a solemn promise to not neglect his health, and that he learned his lesson while he was in the hospital.

In the end, Gilbert relented and drove him to the office.  When he got there, everyone was sitting in the conference area of the office getting ready to go over the latest recap of yesterday’s evidence video.  The team’s jaws had dropped to the floor, Steven’s especially.

“Klaus!  What are you doing here?  I thought for sure you would have taken the rest of the week off.  Are you sure you’re well enough to work today?”

Klaus rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.  He knew that Steven would be uncertain of his friend coming in for work after what happened.  But, Klaus reassured him that he was doing well that morning.

“I understand your concern, Steven.  But I’m actually doing better than I have been all last week.”

After the reassurance Klaus turned to everyone and then suddenly bowed at a complete ninety degree angle.

“I am truly sorry for my behavior last week!  I was so wracked with worry about Leona and the state of the mission, that I carelessly neglected my health in the process.  It was truly a shameful display for me as this organization’s leader. I promise that it will never happen again and I will be a better example as a leader than what I have been this mission.”

Zed stood up from his seat after Klaus gave his heartfelt apology.

“Klaus, this wasn’t entirely your fault.  To be honest I think all of us have been on edge about this mission.  Right, everyone?”

“Yeah I mean, I was all fine and everything with her going and all, but even I admit this mission has been fucked up from the start.”  Admitted Zapp.

“Especially after what happened to her charge a few days ago, things have been getting a little too out of hand.  We’re all thinking the sooner she finds the missing victims the sooner we can get her out.” Said Chain.

“We don’t blame you for getting sick Klausie.  We should have noticed the signs you weren’t fairing well with the situation.” K.K. offered her input as well, since as a mother herself felt that she should have done a better job at looking after Klaus too.

Klaus felt truly blessed for having such an understanding team.  “Thank you, everyone. Again, I apologize for my recent shortcomings in this mission, and I will do a better job at keeping my health and emotions in check.  Steven, you may proceed with the recap.”

“Uh, yes of course. *ahem* well then, straight to business.  Yesterday morning I was surprised to see that the eyewear cameras made a recording overnight while we were all at home.”

Everyone was surprised when Steven mentioned that.  Leona would always record her evidence during the day, so this was unusual for her.

“Why would she need to do a recording in the middle of the night?” Chain asked.

“It would seem that after that awful execution Leona and Mikako needed to have a heart to heart.  She removed her glasses as soon as she left the morgue and hadn’t put them on until one in the morning.”

Mikako has been a woman of mystery since Leona first arrived to the mansion.  The reason why they needed to have a talk in the middle of the night was probably the only way for them to be alone with no interruptions.  But now everyone will finally know more about Mikako and how she came to work for a sexual deviant like Marie Mamiya.

“It would seem that the once famous restaurant Narciso was originally owned by Mrs. Nonohara and her husband before being forced into working for the Mamiya’s.  Mikako was also the head chef at the establishment. Which would explain her expansive cooking repertoire at the mansion.”

I’m not surprised really.  The meals in videos always looked professionally prepared so she exceeds the skills of an average housewife.” Said Klaus.

Everyone in the room also felt the same.  Besides, they doubted that the Mamiya’s would hire an average chef to cook their meals.

However one question plagued Zed’s mind.  “But, why would Mikako offer to work for a bunch of nymphomaniacs when she had such a successful restaurant?”

After Steven sipped his coffee he sighed.  

“It appears that Mikako as well as her family’s situation is more complicated than we initially thought.  At the time, the Mamiya’s were buying out all the business in her area. However, Mikako and her husband weren’t willing to hand over the business without a fight.  At first things were relatively normal, they were getting hounded for the restaurant and the representatives would always try to negotiate a price but no matter how much they were willing to offer, the Nonohara’s wouldn’t budge.”

“But I’m guessing, things were only going to get worse the more they tried to resist, yeah?”  Asked Zapp.

“You’re not wrong.  At first they only received minor threats, for going against the Mamiya’s desires.  Then they had to deal with small vandalism. But when they had to deal with the more violent threats, that was their clientele began to diminish.  The Mamiya group were either using their representatives or paying an outsider to sabotage their business. Soon enough they were nearly bankrupted and had to take out loans, which only caused them more problems.  When the Nonohara’s were finally forced into a corner the Mamiya’s bought the property for practically nothing.”

K.K. was shaking in her seat in anger.  She felt bad that that sweet woman had to go through so much just to keep her restaurant alive.  

“So… they didn’t even make anything from selling the place?”

“I’m afraid not.  But, what they didn’t realize at the time, that they owed a majority of their debt to the Mamiya family until it was too late.”

“So they were tricked from the start?!  This all seems pretty excessive for wanting a restaurant?  Why couldn’t the Mamiya’s just leave them alone?!”

“I think we all know by now how the Mamiya’s won’t hesitate to exorcise their cruelty in order to get what they want.  Don’t forget, these people do thrive on the misery of others, K.K.”

Everyone knew that Klaus was right.  Since day one they all knew that the Mamiya’s weren’t exactly the kind of villains they were used to dealing with.  Not only that, these are huma from the outside which was a rarity for Libra.

“Because the Nonohara’s were flat broke, the only way to pay off the debt was for the husband to go off to work different jobs while Mikako and her son work as servants for the Mamiya household.  However the two are merely collateral in case her husband can’t pay back the debt in time, so they aren’t even getting paid.”

“What?! So they can’t even help him pay off the debt?!”  

“It looks that way, Chain.  That’s pretty much the gist as to why she and Makoto are trapped there.”

The room was silent for a while.  They had no idea that Mikako’s problems were that bad.  Mikako has been nothing but kind to Leona, she absolutely didn’t deserve to be treated as a slave to those monsters neither did her son.

 

After Steven finished the discussing the evidence of Leona and Mikako’s late night meeting, he moved onto the next recording.

“The video I witnessed last night was a bit different from Leona’s routine from last week… the Mistress did say that Leona will continue her caretaking duties the next day but… and don’t freak when I tell you this, she ordered her to take part in the servants lessons.”

“WHAT?!”

Even though Steven told them not to freak, he knew that wasn’t going to be possible.  And he didn’t blame them.

“What the hell did they make her do?!”

“Oh, god, do we even want to know?”

“Seriously Steven, Klaus is just recovering from his illness!  I don’t think he’ll appreciate hearing the bullshit they put her through!”

“Everyone, please!”

They were flabbergasted to hear the booming voice telling the to calm down belonged to Klaus.

“Klaus… we can skip this if you want.  It's honestly not that serious, but I thought I’d tell as a way to reassure everyone that Leyis okay.”

Klaus was quiet for a moment.  But afterwards he closed his eyes, took a deep breath in and then let out a shaky sigh.  His face became calm and stoic. If his friend told him it wasn’t too serious, then it probably wasn’t.

“Steven, if you may continue?”

“Yes, of course.  The lesson Leona had to partake involved NO intercourse of any kind.  It only involved the tools of BDSM play.”

They all took a sigh of relief, but some of them were still on edge.  Considering that these people are far from kind, they knew this lesson wasn’t going to be on light BDSM.

“Steven, where are you going with this exactly?” Asked Zed.

“Leona was forced to play the submissive in this play and her partner was Yukito.  Whom, as you all know by now has held a petty grudge against her for getting a better position than him.  He was far from gentle during the lesson, but afterwards Leona told him off when he was flirting with the elder sister in front of his girlfriend.  Not only that, she told him about Chris and that she wasn’t fooling around with him. I wanted to tell you all this because Leona is stronger than she appears.  Also, to make sure you all remember that she chose to do this mission of her own accord. If she has the strength to stand up to a pathetic bully like Yukito, then she can brave the Mamiya’s cruelty.”

Zapp laid back in his chair as he smirked.  “Ha! Never doubted her for a second!”

“I think it’s all because she was able to handle you all this time, turd monkey.”

“I’m going to have to agree with Chain on this one, Zapp.” Said Zed.

After, Steven dismissed everyone from the meeting, he had Klaus stay behind.  There was some information about the first video he needed to tell Klaus.

“What did you want to tell me, Steven?”

“Well, it’s about one of the reasons why Mikako is now a formidable ally to Leona.  She used your famous motto on Mikako. That poor woman had no friend to turn to while she’s been at that place.  She need to hear those words in order to keep fighting for herself and her son.”

“Leona … she… she used my words on her?”

“I swear, that girl reminds me of you more and more everyday.  If your motto can touch Leona’s heart, then it has surely touched Mikako’s as well.  In the second video her attitude took a complete 180 and is more strong-willed than she’s been in the other videos.”

“I… I’m glad.  She really has been stronger throughout this whole mission than I have.”

“Oh, come on Klaus, you know that’s not-”

“Yes it is, Steven!  I had to go to the hospital because I neglected my health due to my constant worry and stress over her!  Leona took care of a man who was neglected, stood up time and time again to the most despicable family in New York State, stood up to a petty bully and encouraged a woman who was completely down on her luck to keep fighting for herself and her family!  Tell me, what have I done since she left?”

Steven sighed.  He thought that telling him about Leona’s accomplishment would make him feel happy, but it just made him more hard on himself

“Klaus, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.  Everyone is ver understanding as to why you were anxious and scared.  So, you made a mistake. I don’t think there is one member here who’s not been in your shoes.”

“But it’s like you said at Bradbury, my mistake nearly turned fatal if I continued on like I did… I can’t help but think I’m letting Leona down.”

“Klaus…”

“I should get to work.  I have some paperwork that I need to catch up on.”

When Klaus went to his desk, Steven stared at him feeling guilty.  He didn’t mean to make his friend feel this way, especially after his recovery.  Seeing Klaus this downtrodden was very rare for him and he didn’t like it one bit.

As he walked away from Klaus’ desk, Steven felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he desperately hoped that it’s the call he wanted to hear.

He moved out of the office to get some privacy and to not disturb anyone else in the office.

“Steven here…. you got it?!...... that wonderful!  And what about cash?..... yes… yes…. yeah, that will definitely be more than enough…. Trust me, this is pretty much the only language they’ll answer to…. you want me to pick the up now?.... sure, that won’t be a problem…. I’ll be there in about, say twenty minutes?.... Excellent!  Okay, see you soon, buh bye.”

Steven put the phone back in his pocket, and with a spring in his step went straight to his destination.  It took awhile to pull this off, but thanks to some phone calls and a few bribes, his latest conquest finally came to fruition!  After that depressing conversation, he knew that this will make Klaus really happy, and by extension Leona too!

 

That afternoon, Klaus decided to take a break by taking care of his precious plants.  Fortunately, none of them had perished while he was in his delicate state both physically and mentally.  He knew that Steven was trying to make him feel better and he really was very proud of Leona for all she’s done throughout the course of the mission.  This job hasn’t been easy but Leona’s been so brave and he was glad she’s been a good friend to the people who needed her ray of sunshine.

However, he really wished that his little ray of sunshine was with him too.  He really did need it.

Even though he was feeling better from his illness the guilt still remained.  He didn’t want to feel that way ever again.

“Leo…I’m sorry… I haven’t been as strong as you wanted me too…”

_I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Klaus._

Klaus turned around fast to find Jack sitting on the chaise lounge.  He place his hand on his still pounding heart in relief. He was worried that that hallucinations were coming back again.  Fortunately, this wasn’t the case.

“Jack!  It’s only you.  I’m sorry but I’m only used to Leona doing that.”

“I needed to talk to you, and I think this warrants my reason for teleporting here.”

He handed Klaus a sealed envelope but it didn’t it didn’t say where it was from.

“What is it?”

“You’ll be glad to know that Leona finally came into contact with me.  She had a lot to say that I had to type her message so I wouldn’t get a hand cramp.”

Klaus couldn't hide his excitement.  He was finally getting a message from his beloved!

“This is really from her?!  Thank you Jack!”

“You’re very welcome, Klaus.  However, I did have to lie to Leona when I talked to her.  A little birdie told me that you had to go to the hospital the other day.  I didn’t tell her about it because I knew she had enough to deal with on her mission.  If anything you should be the one to tell her about it when you get the chance.”

Klaus blushed at his own embarrassment.

“R-right…. sorry about that.”

“I’m not exactly the one you should be apologizing to.  But I do expect you to join an upcoming tournament in a few months, so I’ll accept it. Well, I should leave you alone with your letter.  I’ll talk to you soon.”

Jack disappeared in a throng of bats, leaving Klaus alone with his letter.

His hands were shaking in anticipation since this will be the first time knowing Leona’s thoughts about the mission since she left the city.  He opened the envelope ten carefully unfolded the letter.

It read,

 

_My dear, Klaus._

_I’m sorry it’s taken so long to contact you.  As you probably know by now, my smartphone doesn’t work up here in the mountains.  Jack was the only one I can contact via telepathy and he was more than willing to give this message to you.  I know that you, Steven, and Zed have been reviewing the evidence footage, but… I had to tell you personally how I feel about this mission._

_I’m not going to lie… it’s been so hard.  These people, I can’t even comprehend how they can live with themselves considering how much misery they force onto others and profit from it no less!  I… I hate them! I know you’ve probably seen it already, but, I have to talk about this in my own words rather than what you saw on the tape._

_When I was tasked to take care of Chris Davis, it was the first time since I came to the estate I felt hope that I could save him.  His story of his life moved my heart, that I just had to help him get better and to get him and his wife out of this prison! I had hoped so hard that I could save them But then… that hope was taken away.  Chris didn’t deserve that fate, he deserved to leave this place with Layla and their child, not for him to have his heart being used by someone who would only take it for granted! When I saw my friend in his final moments, I not only saw, but I heard his aura saying that he didn’t want to die over and over until his life was extinguished.  He told me before he died that he didn’t blame me for what was going to happen. But, even now I still feel responsible for his death. I should have forced him to leave! I know that you and Steven would probably be mad at me if I did, but I probably wouldn’t care. You guys know as well as I do that the Mamiya’s are nothing but devils in human skin!_

_I fear that Layla is already too far gone.  She couldn’t even respond to Chris when he tried to reach out to her.  I honestly don’t know if the most advanced psychological treatments could save her.  However, even if I can’t save Layla, I absolutely refuse to have their child fall into the Mamiya’s clutches!  They will NOT turn that baby into a goddamn produce!_

_I know I have a job to do here and I know that I promised that I would see it through to the end, but… I miss you Klaus.  I miss Libra and I miss Hellsalem’s Lot. So many people are counting on me but I can’t help just wanting to come home. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice in volunteering for this mission.  There are others in Libra that would have done a better job than I have. However, even after all that’s happened I oddly don’t regret coming on this mission. Even though I couldn’t save Chris, I was still able to give him the compassion and care that he so desperately needed during his last days on earth.  Once I find the missing persons I will also give them the kindness and compassion that I gave Chris. I will not let anyone else die here! Not again…_

_I hope you’ve been doing okay, Klaus.  Jack told me you were worried but hanging in there, but I know you well enough that your situation is more complicated than what he lead on.  I could hear it in his voice. I won’t pressure you to tell me what happened while I was away and I know you will tell me when you are ready._

_It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve seen your face.  I long to have you hold me in your arms again, Klaus. I only have to be here for one more week, so please try to be patient just a little longer._

_I hope this message will try to put your heart at ease and that you won’t be too sad or too scared from what I had to say.  This mission is difficult but I intend to see this through to the end… no matter what._

_All my love,_

_Leona._

 

A few teardrops fell on the letter.  Leona’s heartfelt letter really displayed how troubled this assignment had made her.  Klaus’s poor, sweet, beloved had a huge burden to carry while she was on this mission.  She had to put up with the Mamiya’s cruelty and face the disapproving stares from people on the outside who wouldn’t be able to fully understand who she is.  Worst of all she had to witness her new friend die right in front of her and has to feel the weight of the lives of the missing persons on her shoulders.

Klaus could almost hear Leona’s crying in this letter.  Even though Jack didn’t tell him, there was no doubt in his mind that she was while prompting him to write the letter.  Despite knowing what Leona was feeling in those tapes, having her speak her feelings in the letter made him wish she was home even more.  She even said she wanted to come home too, and he didn’t blame her. He was glad she finally got Mikako to be her friend and ally but even with friends that place is unbearable.

There was nothing Klaus wanted more than to take Leona as far away from that place as possible.  But those damn bracelets would make it impossible. The Mistress would have the controls to the explosive device inside it.  If it detonated, not only would Leona get seriously hurt and would be forced to turn into a true womb egg but anyone near her would no doubt be killed instantly by the blast.

At this point however, he was more than willing to make Marie Mamiya remove the bracelet by force.  He was not a little boy anymore and he was twice her size. Not only that, he could easily incapacitate the family, find the missing beyondians, and take care of going through the family’s business records.  Klaus and his team could take everyone back to Hellsalem’s Lot before sunrise. This mission would finally be done within two shakes of a mach monkey’s tail!

However, deep down… he knew that this isn’t what Leona would want.  In the end, this really was _her_ mission.  All of Libra were just backup for her and responsible for reviewing the evidence footage.  As much as Leona said she wanted to come home, she said she would see this through to the end.  She wasn’t leaving until Angela and the rest of the beyondians are found on her own steam. Even though it hurt, Klaus needed to respect Leona on her assignment.  But even so, he wished with all his heart to help his liebling somehow.

As if his his prayers were answered, Steven suddenly burst into the conservatory.

“KLAUS!! I’ve got great news!  Wait, have you been crying?”

He quickly rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses.

“Umm, only a little, I finally got a message from Leona thanks to Jack and it made me a little sentimental, that’s all.”

“Hmmm I see.  I guess you’ll have to let me read it later.  But that can wait. I have something important to show you!  It took me awhile but I was finally able to get it!”

Klaus noticed that Steven had two briefcases with him and figured they were the reason for Steven’s unusual excitement.

“It wouldn’t have anything to do with those cases would it?”

Klaus’ friend smiled as he shook his head fast.  “That’s only part of the good news.”

Steven put his hand in his coat pocket and took out an envelope with a gold seal.

“The big thing I wanted to show you was this little beauty right here!”

Steven’s smile was so wide, teeth and all that it was starting to creep Klaus out a bit.  He knew when his friend would act this way, he either a) had lost more sleep than he had, or b) was really about to lose his shit for some unearthly reason.

Being fairly cautious, Klaus slowly reached his hand out to retrieve the envelope then slowly brought his hand back to his chest.

Klaus observed the object in his hand thoroughly.  The seal on the envelope was pretty fancy so it must be an invitation of some sort.

“Open it!” Squeaked Steven.

“Is your voice getting higher?” Klaus asked with  mild concern.

“Yep!”

 _He even admitted it!_ Klaus thought with alarm.

Not wanting his friend to break anything he opened the envelope immediately.

As Klaus read the contents of the envelope, his eyes grew wider and wider with each line.  This couldn’t be what he thought it was, could it?

“Steven… this… this is-”

“Yep!  That, my friend, is a bonafide invitation to the Mamiya’s annual summer soirée!  And you will be going there as a guest.”

Even though Klaus was afraid of going back to the estate, that fear dissipated to the thought of seeing Leona and finally, FINALLY bringing her back home!

Overcome with joy, he hugged Steven to his chest and lifted him up into the air.

“Thank you, Steven!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

While he was happy to see his friend so elated after that horrible first week, he decided to ask Klaus to release him from his bear hug before he turned purple from lack of oxygen.

“Okay, okay!  I’m really glad you’re so happy and all, but my lungs are starting to collapse!”

Realizing how he was too strong for his own good, he released the informant from his iron embrace.

“Oh! Sorry… but how did you manage to get a hold of this? And what’s in those cases?”

“It wasn’t easy.  A lot of phone calls and emails to go through, but I was finally able to contact someone who was able to get their hands on an invitation.  Well technically it’s not completely genuine but the forgery is a helluva good match, that the head of the house won’t know the difference. As for the briefcases, each one bares the amount of $900,000.”

Klaus looked at the cases and then at the invitation.  He felt bad if Steven had to take $1,800,000 out of his own pocket.

“Steven, I really don’t know what to say.  You really didn’t have to do this, plus Leona would also feel guilty for paying this much just to get her back home.”

Steven sighed, but then gave Klaus a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, this didn’t completely came from my pocket.  I’ve had some of the more well-to-do members and sponsors to pitch in.  They’re all very fond of that girl and want her to come back safely. And besides… Leona really is priceless.”

Klaus smiled and blushed at his last statement.

“That she is, Steven… that she is.”


	18. Chapter 18

Leona was getting ready for the day when she heard a knocking on her door.  She thought it was rather peculiar since the family usually slept in and the servants were in their rooms getting ready just like she is.  She wondered if Mikako or Yuuna wanted to come talk to her or if they wanted to start their morning duties together. After what happened during yesterday’s lesson, poor Yuuna was heartbroken by Yukito’s appalling behavior towards Leona and his shameless flirting with Marika.  At dinner Yuuna sat next to her instead Yukito and was giving him the cold shoulder by chatting away with her during the evening meal. Afterwards when everyone was asleep Leona, Yuuna and Mikako decided to do a little girls night in the grand bath. It was actually a lot of fun!  They talked a lot about their lives from their respective cities and of course their past loves. Yuuna told them she still felt she couldn't let Yukito out of her life yet, but was very unsure about her feelings because of his latest behavior. As much as Leona thought her new friend would do better, Mikako told her to ultimately do what she felt was right.  The rest of the night they just bitched about how awful the family is and came up with funny jokes about the Mistress and her daughters behind their backs. It was a hoot! Their girls night really helped the trio forget their troubles. Well, at least for a short while.

Leona was brought out of her thoughts by the continuous knocking.  She finished doing her hair so she could answer her persistent guest.

“Coming, coming.”

When she opened the door she was surprised to see not Mikako or Yuuna, but a very sheepish looking Yukito.  After what happened yesterday, she was not very pleased to see him.

She let out an annoyed huff and asked, “Yes, what do you want?”

Yukito looked down while rubbing his arm.  He looked like a sad puppy with his tail between his legs.  While Leona was always willing to help anyone who is in distress, Yukito absolutely did not deserve hers!  Not just because he treated her badly throughout the week, but for breaking Yuuna’s heart after shamelessly flirting with Marika!

she was about to turn him away when he asked,  “Hey… can we talk? I… I need your help.”

Leona leaned against the door frame with arms crossed underneath her bosom and placed her leg over the other.  She really wasn’t in the mood for his shenanigans, but she indulged him nonetheless.

“Well… that depends.  Are you willing to actually talk to me this time?  No petty fighting?”

“Yes, I promise.”

She silently flexed her fingers to let Yukito know that he can come in.  

“Sit down, Yukito.”

He quietly sat on the desk chair with his head down and his hands between his legs.  While she was a bit satisfied he was off his high horse she felt bad that he looked this pathetic.

“Well, you wanted to talk… so talk.”

“Uh, right!  The thing is… it’s about Yuuna.”

Leona expected that he wanted to talk about her.  She certainly wasn’t expecting an apology any time soon.

“What do you expect?  You’re the only guy here that she trusts and you betrayed said trust when you were canoodling with Marika.”

“You think I don’t know that?!  After that session yesterday, she completely chewed me out for the way I treated you.  And because I said I would think about Marika’s offer she’s totally going to break up with me!”

Leona rolled her eyes, he wasn’t exactly winning any sympathy points from her.

“Wow, shocker…”

“Look, I’m not always an asshole Leona.”

“Heh, could’ve fooled me.”

Yukito let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose.  But his hardened expression softened as he brought his head back down.

“I… I guess I walked right into that one.  Look, I’m sorry I’ve been mean to you. I thought that I was just trying to protect Yuuna, but in reality I was jealous.  These lessons haven’t been easy for us, especially Yuuna. I felt it was unfair that you didn’t have to go through what we had to.  So, I decided to be cruel to you instead, hoping that you would understand the pain we felt. But it was wrong of me to try to force that on you.”

Leona was surprised.  Yukito not only apologized but he was being honest and sincere about his feelings too.

“You were right, Leona.  The Mistress and her family were trying to pit us against each other and I was stupid enough to fall for their trap.  You really are better than me in every way, and I don’t blame you if you want to gloat.”

Leona walked up to him and smiled.  “Told ya so!”

“Wow, you really lay it on thick don’t ya?”

“Eh, a simple ‘I told you so’ will suffice.  Besides, it wouldn’t be good karma to kick you while you’re down.  What you did was really cruel. But, I do understand why you were acting like you did even if your actions were misguided.”

“Damnit!  Even you're better at being the bigger man than me!”

“Oh, c’mon quit pouting!  I forgive you, okay?  Do you still want my help, or not?”

Yukito slowly softened his pout then looked her in the eye and smiled.

“Yeah, I do… I really like Yuuna, and she’s pretty much the only girlfriend I ever had.  And probably ever will have.”

“Well, the thing is, you’re going to have to make up with her yourself.  I’m fairly certain if you told her what you told me, you should be fine. Besides, that girl is more forgiving than me.  Almost to a fault now that I think about it.”

“Will you come with me… You know, for emotional support?”

Leona groaned. _Ugggghhhhh curse this big heart of mine!_

“Okay, fine I’ll do it.”

The two went straight to Yuuna’s room and of course, Yukito was too scared to knock on the door himself.  

_Again, what does Yuuna see in him?!  Ah, forget it…_

Soon enough the door opened with Yuuna checking on who it was.

“Good morning, Leo!  Oh… and you brought Yukito too…”

The nervous young man was about to make run for it.  Leona knew he would, so she quickly grabbed the collar of his dress shirt before he managed to get away.

“Hey, Yuuna.  Yukito here has something he wanted to say to you.”

She pushed him in front of Yuuna.  She seemed a bit hesitant but was patient enough to hear him out.

“You have my attention, Yukito.”

“Uh, right.  Um.”

He was at a loss for words.  Leona supposed it would be different when someone speaks their feelings to the one they’re in love with.

“I want to say, I’m really sorry about what happened yesterday.  I let the power the Mamiya’s gave me during the lesson go to my head and it not only hurt Leona, but you too.  I never want to make you cry again and I never want to let you go either. The night we made love meant a lot to me as it did for you.  I thought that I was only trying to protect you from Leona, but in reality I was envious of her position here. You were right about my behavior and I’m ashamed that I’d let it go too far.  I’m a pathetic, jealous loser, I know that. But even so I still want to be your support and take responsibility for whatever that happens here. Not only that I will find a way to make it up to you for my behavior.”

Yuuna was quite for a beat.  But, she took his hand rubbed little circles in palm with her thumb.

“Yukito, I don’t think you’re a pathetic loser.  I was disappointed in you for your attitude but mostly I was scared of the Mamiya’s corrupting you.  You really frightened me because of how sadistic you were acting towards Leona. It was as if you really were becoming one of them…”

“I know… For a moment I thought that's what I wanted so I would no longer have to be the doormat I've always been. But I don’t want that power if it means I lose you.  I understand if you still need your space, but will you consider letting me back into your life again?”

Yuuna smiled, and opened her arms to welcome him into a hug.

“Oh, come here you!”

While in their embrace, Yuuna placed a kiss on his lips.

While Leona still found this relationship beyond confusing, she felt it wasn’t her place to argue.  Love is stupid, but in a good way. Not every relationship is like her and Klaus’ and that’s alright. As long as Yukito doesn’t repeat his mistakes like he did the past week he’ll be a good boyfriend to Yuuna.  This time Yukito will be more weary of Marika’s advancements and will hold on to his girl tightly.

Wanting to give the awkward couple their space, she decided to head to the dining room for breakfast.

 

When Leona arrived at the dining room the Mistress was already at the table in her negligee.  Once she sat down, Mikako served her a plate of bacon and sunny side up eggs with a buttery biscuit.  Kyouichi finishes his meal and oddly enough, didn't request his usual milk from Mikako. She did mention to Leona that lately he was losing interest in her.  One of the reasons why he was so demanding of Mikako was his deep desire of motherly affection. Through her, his desires would be satiated since he would never get real affection from his actual mother.  While Leona thought of Kyouichi as a despicable little troll, a small part of her felt pity for him. If he received actual love from his mother or if he was born in a normal loving family, would he have turned out differently?  She honestly didn’t know.

The Mistress noticed her son’s abrupt leave.

“Hmmm… looks like Kyouichi doesn’t want his milk today.  I’m going to have to find him a new mommy if you aren’t able to satisfy him, Mikako.”

The violet haired maid was silent at her remark.  Leona knew she wouldn’t mind one bit if the brat ignored her.  However, something about her silence seemed rather pained. Not because Kyouichi wouldn’t want her anymore, but something else entirely.  She had been worried that her husband, Yukihiro won’t be able to pay off the debt in time and that her and Makoto would be sold off to the Mamiya’s associates.  Leona hoped that he would be to get the money soon so Yukihiro will finally free his family from this hell. If not… Leona would fight for the Nonohara’s freedom if there was no other way.

The Mistress put down her cup of coffee and turned her head to face Leona.

“I hope you are feeling better after the lesson yesterday.  Even I admit that Yukito may have gone to far.”

_Liar… it’s far too late to act like you care now._

_“_ I’m doing fine.  I’m a pretty fast healer anyway.”

“That’s good.  Well, you’ll be happy to know that you’ll be continuing your caretaking duties starting today!  I really was impressed with how you handled our human pet, that I am more than convinced you are more than capable of handling our more… ahem, ‘unique’ pets.”

“I see, I’ll be sure to do the best I can.”

Leona was secretly excited to finally be able to find the missing beyondians.  However, she was also deeply disturbed by this as well. She had a feeling that these “unique” pets were being treated much differently than Chris.

“I’m certain that you will, Leona.  However, this job this week will be less time consuming than last week's.  With the party coming up in a few days I’m going to need your help with preparations.  You won’t be taking part in the lessons but i do need you to assist Mikako and Yuuna with preparing the food.  You, along with the rest of the servants will be tasked with serving the guests and satiate any desires they may have.  With your experience I’m sure you will be more than capable.”

Leona knew very well what kind of “desires” the Mistress was talking about.  There was no way in hell she was going to let any of those people touch her. She needed to come up with a plan to keep herself safe throughout the duration of the party.  It should be a pretty simple method thanks to her blood breed powers. If she was able to manipulate Sachie’s mind, she was sure she could manipulate the guests’.

Leona would have to worry about the party later.  For now she had to focus on the missing beyondians.

“Now then, after you finish your breakfast come find me in my office and I will take you to my pets.  They are in a different part of the basement. They are in the sub level, actually.”

“I understand, Ma’am.”

“Good, I’ll expect you in my office at around 11:30.  Don’t be late.”

Once the Mistress finished her coffee she promptly left the dining room.

Leona ate her breakfast in a flash.  Mikako offered her seconds but she was very eager to complete her morning duties and get to the reception room so she could move on to her afternoon task.

 

When Leona finished tending the garden she headed quickly to the Mistress’s office to begin her new duties.  When she arrived at the door she politely knocked to signal her arrival.

“Come in, Leona.”

The Mistress was at her desk finishing up some of the paperwork.

“I’ll be with you in a moment, I’m just going over the The guests who gave us their RSVPs.”

“That certainly seems like a lot of guests, Madame.”

“Indeed, this is the highlight event of the year and almost everyone of our sponsors, associates and closest friends always look forward to this party.  We have the latest products in sexual wellness toys, and performance enhancers.”

The Mistress opened a drawer and showed Leona a diamond shaped tablet.

“This is the newest of our suppositories.  Once this little beauty is inserted it gives the most impotent old man the erection of a lifetime!  It can even work on giving a temporary enlargement of the clitoris. Care to give it a try?”

Leona was not at all keen on being a guinea pig for their messed up enhancer products.  So, she bluntly declined her offer.

“No thanks.  If it’s okay with you, I really would like to move on to the task at hand, please.”

“Straight to the point as usual I see?  Very well, if you would follow me, Leona.”

 

The Mistress lead Leona through the basement like she did the first time when she started her caretaker job.  When they passed Chris’ old cell it made Leona’s heart hurt. Looking at that door reminded her of the fond memories she spent with him on his last days.  Not only that, it reminded her of her failure in not doing more to protect him. However, this time was going to be different. She wasn’t going to let anyone suffer the same fate.  Everyone was counting on her to find the missing beyondians but it was her personal duty to bring them home. This time she will protect them with all the power she had in her and that was a promise she wasn’t going to break.

The two came across a door that lead to another set of stairs.  They were about to enter the sub level part of the basement. As they made their descent, Leona began to feel strange.  She felt a bit lightheaded like she could feel like her energy was being drained. When she attempted to use her eyes, they were completely useless.  She couldn’t even look at the Mistress’ aura. She was still able to bare her fangs but her blood breed abilities were limited. It felt like she was at the stagnant skill level before she started training with Jack.  

Something was seriously wrong.  This had to be some serious anti-beyondian magic in this part of the basement if it’s having an effect on a level thirteen blood breed like Leona.  She wasn’t sure what it could be though. To be honest, she didn’t think something like this could be possible. But then again there was still a lot about alterworld magic that she didn’t know about.  Maybe Libra knew about this? However, the big question was how were the Mamiya’s able to acquire this kind of magic? This definitely had to be the accomplice’ doing.

When they finally reached the bottom they approached the large, metal, double doors.  There were no handles so the only way to open them was to use a code on the pin pad like last time.

“The passcode for this door is 1911.  Just like last time, I trust you won’t tell anyone this code.”

“Yes Ma’am, understood.”

“For this job you won’t just be looking after one person.  You will be looking after twenty.”

The number was making her head spin.  Not because she thought the number was big, but because of how so few beyondians would be behind this door.

When the Mistress put in the code, They entered the double doors which lead to a two level room.  The sight was completely overwhelming. Leona had finally found them… the beyondians were here this whole time! But there were only twenty in this room.  The first level had the female beyondians. All were lying on cold metal beds with their legs locked in metal stirrups and their hand were chained above their heads.  On top of that they each had ball gags in their mouths so they couldn’t speak. Leona suspected the males were on the second level and were in the same position as the females.  Even though they couldn’t talk, Leona could hear their whimpers of pain and discomfort through the gags. Leona couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The sight and sounds of the beyondians in pain broke her heart in two.  Who knows how long they were forced to be down here? The Mistress stood next her looking completely proud of the torture she has forced upon these poor creatures.

“Magnificent aren’t they?  I know that to you seeing these creatures on a daily basis seems pretty mundane, but to someone on the outside these are worth a fortune!  These monsters really do make wonderful oddities for the sexually curious. They can do so much more than a human ever could. And to think, they aren’t even allowed outside the city limits.  That doesn’t seem fair, don’t you agree Leona?”

Leona was furious.  These were living people for god sakes!  Yet she was treating them like damn produce!  She was in no mood to indulge her cruelty.

“Hellsalem’s Lot has its laws for a reason, Ma’am.  This country already suffers from discrimination issues and domestic terrorism.  The city is only a first step for humans and beyondians to coexist with one another. But outsiders just aren’t ready for them yet!”

The Mistress just laughed at her statement.

“Hahaha!  Well, it’s a little too late for that.  I’ve already sent more than ninety to our associates and a few hundred of their organs have been harvested and donated to our hospitals.  Of course a few had killed themselves before we got them to their destinations but, what can you do?”

Leona’s knees buckled as she fell to the floor.  This nightmare was happening for a year and a half and so much damage has already been done…

_Why couldn’t we have prevented this sooner!?  Damnit!_

Through her tears she asked, “So why do you keep twenty here, then?”

“I’m glad you asked!  These pets are special.  I always choose ten female and ten male to stay behind and be my breeders.  Basically I have these creatures make more of their kind. The infants are taken to their respective buyers where they will be trained by their new masters as they get older.  Unfortunately, some newborns have died shortly after birth. When that happens, I have to have another partner that’s more compatible with a breeder. When a breeder or a partner can no longer fulfill their duties they are let go.  It’s not a perfect process but it works.”

Leona stood up and balled her fists.  Her nails were digging so far into her skin that she began to bleed.

“You know… I’m not even surprised.  I’ve realized this fact since taking care of Chris.  but now looking at all of this… you clearly have absolutely no regard for life, be it huma or beyondians.  You’re treating these people like they’re a goddamn assembly line, and when they can longer produce your product you send them off to the slaughter!  My only question is, why? What did they ever do to you? You don’t even know them yet you treat them worse than garbage!”

The Mistress walked towards Leona.  Her figure towering over the petite blood breed.  Not even her pumps can make her feel tall in this situation.

“It’s not personal, Leona.  It’s just business, simple as that.  The Mamiya’s have been doing this for generations.  However we’ve only been getting our hands on these creatures just recently.  There is so much that they can do to satisfy a person that they pay more than human bodies.  And with their organs my associates will become as powerful as gods!”

Leona glared at her.

“None of this rightfully belongs to you!  Your family only got this wealth off of the backs of others!  Just so you know… I'm a huge believer in karma. It’s only a matter of time when your little empire comes crashing down on you and your family.”

The Mamiya matriarch gave Leona a very cruel smile.  She wasn’t at all phased by a tiny maid’s silly little premonition.

“Hahaha… that almost sounds like a threat… almost.  We’ve bent the law to our will since the 1800s. I think this family will be just fine long after I’m gone.  Oh, and just so you know my sentimental little friend, you are walking on very thin ice. You will be performing your services to the guests at the party.  I’ve told my associates about you. Many of them have quite the appetite for little dolls like you. I may not have been able to break you Leona, but I’m more than certain they will.  By the time the party's over, you will think twice before defying me again…”

The Mistress walked towards the iron doors to leave Leona behind with the bound creatures.  However, before she left…

“Oh, and if you plan on asking me to give them special treatment like last time, don’t even bother.  I don’t want you getting any ideas like you had with Chris. You will be giving them the food I provide, remove their waste and change their IVs but that’s it.  The rest will be handled by me. Is that understood?”

Leona lowered her head and with a trembling voice, “All too well, Ma’am…”

“Fufu, Excellent… well, see you at dinner.”

 

After Leona was left alone in the chamber she took a closer look at her charges.  Many of the beyondians fell into either the faunus or fae categories. Since they had huma features of course the Mistress would capture them since they are the most beautiful beyondians in Hellsalem’s Lot.  At least according to the magazines. She searched around the female level and one particular beyondian caught her eye. She was tall, had long blue hair that was getting too overgrown and a round stomach indicating pregnancy.  However, the features that stood out the most were the cat ears and tail…

before Leona left for the Catskills Anna gave her friend a picture of her sister Angela.  In it, her hair was a blue French bob style and was more on the slim side.

Despite the weight gain and long hair, there was no doubt about it.  This was indeed Anna’s sister.

She quickly walked up to the bound cat girl and immediately took the shackles off her hands and removed the ball gag so she could speak.  She was a little out of it but she could probably still understand Leona.

When the gag was removed, she whimpered.  Because her limbs were bound for so long they had lost feeling.  The poor thing was suffering from pins and needles. Leona wanted to give her a massage but she was worried she would make things worse.

Angela’s eyes opened and found Leona’s face.

“Please... Don't hurt me anymore... I don't want to hurt anymore...”

Leona placed a hand on her cheek in reassurance.

“Shhh… your okay.  You don’t know me, but I’m a friend of you sister Anna.  She asked me to try and find you.”

Her eyes went wide when Leona mentioned the name of her sister.

“You… you know Anna?  You wouldn’t happen to be Leona, would you?”

“You know my name?”

“I was still in school at the time… but she told me you worked at the cafe before the holidays to get a gift for your boyfriend… haha… it’s nice to finally meet you… but I wish it was under different circumstances.”

“Me too…”

Leona gently took Angela’s hand and looked into her eyes.

“Angela, I need you to tell me exactly what happened.  How did you came to be here?”

The weak cat girl sighed as she gathered her thoughts.  To her, she felt like it’s been an eternity since she left Hellsalem’s Lot.  However, she thought it was best to tell her everything from the beginning.

“Well, I first heard about the servant position from a friend, who was huma.  She was also a student at the same university I went to and she really wanted to get a part time job so she could have enough money to take part in the study abroad program.”

Leona remembered Anna mentioned that the reason why Angela came to the mansion was to find her friend when she didn’t come home.

“The position was only supposed to last two weeks.  But soon enough, weeks turned into months then a whole year went by.  I never got a single phone call, text, email, not even a letter. I got so worried that I decided to apply for a servant position too and see if my friend was okay.

“But didn’t you have a hard time trying to get outside the city limits?”

“When I called the Mistress about my situation, she told me, an associate from Hellsalem’s Lot could help me get on the outside.  He wouldn’t tell me his name.”

“Can you remember what he looked like?”

“I’ve been here for a while that I can barely remember him. We barely interacted with one another. He just took me to this place in a black van. But I think he was pretty tall with a lanky build and he had a nose that looked like a bird beak.”

Angela’s description of the associate was very familiar to Leona.  That described Assistant Police Chief Jasper Crane down to a t. However, even though that was a fairly accurate description of him, that could still be anybody.  But nonetheless she decided to keep Crane in mind as a possible suspect.

“When we got to the estate the Mistress came outside to greet us.  She handed her associate an envelope then she lead me to the mansion.  At first she seemed very welcoming. However, when I first stepped foot inside, I immediately felt a shock of intense pain like I was being electrocuted or something.  I blacked out and the next thing I knew I woke up in this room along with a few other people. At the time I was the only only one of a few beyondians here. Next to me was my friend. She told me everything that happened to her.  She tried to escape but was caught and was forced to become a breeder because she supposedly had superior genes.

“The Mistress mentioned that everyone here is a breeder or a partner.  But everyone in this room is a beyondian. What happened to the huma?”

Angela was quiet for a short time.  A few stray tears came from her eyes.

“... The same thing that happens to everyone here eventually.  If someone can’t get pregnant or produce any more semen… they get killed.  My friend was able to get pregnant once. But after that she couldn’t get pregnant anymore.  I guess her genes weren’t as polished as the Mamiya’s originally thought. They tried more than thirty times to get her pregnant but every time was the same result…. one day they took her out of the room… and I… I never saw her again….”

Leona placed Angela’s hand near her mouth to give her a comforting kiss.  The poor thing has been through so much. Just like Leona, she had lost a friend even though she tried her best to get them back home.  Now she was trapped in this cold room surrounded by her fellow beyondians but she might as well feel all alone in the world. She looked at Angela’s swollen tummy again.  She had a suspicion Angela was in her final trimester but she needed to make sure.

“Angela, how… how far along are you now?”

“I think I just entered my ninth month, so… yeah, not too long now…”

The cat girl grabbed Leona’s hand tightly and she looked so scared.

“Leona… they’re going to take away my baby!  Once they’re born the Mamiya’s are going to turn them into a fucking product like they've done with the others!  Please Leona… don’t let them take my baby! Please!”

Leona gripped Angela’s hand back as she looked at the other inmates.  All of them were so terrified an uncertain of their future.  Just how many babies have been torn away from their mothers?  Leona knew that the cruelty this family had these people go through must come to an end!

She may have failed Chris and Layla, but she was NOT going to give up Angela and the others…

“Angela… you have my word… as a member of Libra, I swear that I will not give up on you.  You and your child will be going home along with everyone else. I’m not gonna let anyone die here… not this time!

 

Over the next few days Leona continued her caretaking duties for the beyondians.  Unfortunately, she couldn’t give them the same special treatment as Chris. However, that didn’t stop her from trying to give them hope.  Mostly all she could do was to talk to them and give them reassurance that everything was going to be okay. Sometimes she just held on to their hands, no conversation required.  She heard that just holding one’s hand can be the greatest comfort a person can give in times of darkness and uncertainty.

When Leona wasn’t looking after the prisoners she was helping prepare for the upcoming party.  She had admit that it was harder than her caretaking job. She still didn’t go to the lessons, but she was asked to prepare the ballroom for the days events.  One day she had to wax the entire ballroom floor until she could see her reflection. It took all morning and then after her caretaking job, she had to go back and finish the floor until dinner.  The next morning her bones ached all over from being on her hands and knees all day from the endless waxing.

The next day she was asked to polish the silverware, wash the best wine glasses and pick out the selected wines from the cellar with Sachie.  Leona had to stop Sachie from trying to sneak a sip of the fine wines. Just because this job sucked they were still on the clock.

Soon enough it was the day before the party and Leona was asked to help Mikako and Yuuna with the menu.  There was a lot of delicious food that would be served and Leona was in charge of desserts. She figured the guests wouldn’t object to her apple pie and cheesecake.  However, while they were planning the menu Mikako was a bit distracted. When Leona asked if she was okay, Mikako told her that her husband was coming to the mansion that night.  Leona thought that she would be more ecstatic to see her husband again after being separated from him for so long. But, deep down she knew that this visit was not going to be a pleasant one.

That night Leona was finishing her evening chores by washing the foyer windows.  Out of nowhere she saw the lights of a vehicle coming from the front gates. It was probably the same taxi cab that brought Yukito and Yuuna to this place.  When the gates opened she noticed the silhouette of a tall man coming towards the mansion. Since Leona had finished the last window she figured she should be the one to let the mystery guest in.

Leona opened the front door to greet him.

“Hello, may I help you?”

“Yes, my name is Yukihiro Nonohara.  The lady of the house is expecting me tonight.”

“Oh! You must be Mikako’s husband! Of course, please come in.”

When Yukihiro came into the light Leona was able to take a better look at the man before him.

He was tall with black hair and wore thin rimmed glasses.  He was also really pale and his cheeks were sunken in. He wore a button down short sleeve shirt and tie with dark brown slacks and loafers.  However, he looked like he hadn’t eaten, got a decent night’s sleep, or a shower in weeks.

Mikako told Leona that her husband has been working himself to the bone just to pay off their massive debt.  He certainly looks like he’s been working himself to death.

“Are you a new maid here?”

“Yes, my name is Leona Watch.  Your wife Mikako has been really kind to me since I started working here at the estate.  She also told me a bit about you too.”

The man’s face looked so downtrodden. “I see,  I… I must be quite a disappointment to my wife and son, huh?”

“No!  She told me what happened to the restaurant and it wasn’t your fault or Mikako’s!  You guys did the best you could.”

“That… that was the kindest thing anyone’s told me in months… thank you miss.”

“You’re welcome… do you want me to get your wife?”

“Yes, please do.”

Leona head straight to the kitchen.  Mikako and Yuuna were just finishing preparing dinner that night.

“Mikako?  Your husband is here.  He’s waiting in the foyer right now.”

“Oh! Of course!”

Mikako put the casserole in the oven then she and Leona sped walked towards the foyer to meet Yukihiro.

“Darling!”

“Oh, Mikako!”

The couple held each other in their arms like they haven’t seen each other in years.  Despite everything that’s happened to her and Makoto, Mikako still had genuine love for her husband.  Leona hoped that Yukihiro was able to get enough money so they could go home. But with a heavy heart, she knew that it probably wasn’t the case.

“Mikako… I…. I could get $5,000 this month.  I couldn’t get the remaining $60,000. I’m sorry I failed you.”

Mikako wiped her husband’s tears with her thumb.

“Oh honey, I knew how sick you were getting.  It not your fault. You shouldn’t have to work yourself to death!”

“Oh… and how is he supposed to pay off the debt then?”

The Mistress heard their whole conversation from the top of the stairs.  The Nonohara’s held onto each other tight as the Mistress descended the stairs.  Leona stood in front of the couple. She didn’t know what the Mistress was going to do, but she felt that she needed to protect them.

“Lady Mamiya, please!  I only need some more time!  I guarantee I can get you the money within a year.”

“Really?  From what I understand you were let go from your last job after you collapsed at the office.  Not only that you were evicted from your apartment for not paying the rent on time. I’m sorry but I doubt you’re capable of paying off the rest of the debt.  You’ve forced my hand Yukihiro. Both of you come to my office… we’ll discuss the terms of collateral there. Leona, step aside…”

Leona kept her stand.  She refused to move for the likes of her.  Even though she was trembling to the point where her muscles ached she didn’t move an inch.  Her fangs kept sheathing and unsheathing in her mouth. Behind her eyelids, the all-seeing eyes of the gods had turned vampiric red.  Since Leona finally got the evidence of the missing beyondians, she figured now would be a good time as any to make her move and strike while the iron is hot.  Leona was more than certain she could take her down.

However, before she could even move forward to confront the Mistress, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.  It was Mikako’s. Leona wasn’t sure if her friend figured out what she planned to do, but if she did… her mother’s intuition must be stronger than she originally thought.

“Leona… it’s okay.  You can move now.”

“Mikako?”

“I appreciate all that you’ve done for me.  But… I can’t run away from my problems forever.”

“But what will happen to you?”

Mikako took her husband’s hand into her own and gave her a comforting smile.

“I can still see the light, Leona.  Now I know… there is nothing, I cannot do.”

Leona choked up.  Mikako was no longer the submissive servant when she first met her.  She was now the image of a strong mother trying her best to keep her family safe.  Leona didn’t know what her fate was but she knew that Mikako wasn’t going down without a fight.

The Nonohara’s went up the stairs hand in hand while the Mistress remained dumbfounded as to what just happened.  Not wanting to be alone in the foyer with her, Leona made her way to the dining room. Her colleagues were already at the table eating their dinner.  A plate was already laid out for Leona. She figured that Yuuna must have placed it out for her once her business with Mikako was done.

“Is everything okay, Leo?  You look upset.” Said Yuuna with worry.

Leona sat down as she began to pick at her food.  She was still feeling a bit emotional so she couldn’t answer right away.  She took a big bite of casserole and washed it down with some water.

“Mikako’s husband… he couldn’t pay the debt in time… I don’t know what’s going to happen to them now.”

“Oh no…” said Yukito.

“Well… maybe they’re just negotiating a new plan so they can still pay back the debt.”

As much as Leona admired Yuuna’s optimism, her naivety was starting to get old.

“Do you really believe that, Yuuna?”

“... No.  Not really.”

The rest of dinner was spent silent.  No one in the family showed up since they were busy with the Nonohara’s.  The servants just quietly ate their food, cleaned the dining ware and each one decided to retire for the night.  Leona spent some time in the bath alone. Even though the water felt nice on her skin it was too quiet. She missed the conversations she had with Mikako and Yuuna while they bathed.  No longer interested in the bath she went back to her room to get ready for bed. Everyone had a long day ahead of them and it was wise that they got plenty of rest before the party. However, Leona was having trouble falling asleep.  She kept thinking of what could happen to Mikako and her family. Leona hoped that she knew what she was doing and that everything was going to be okay like she said. But, she still couldn’t help but worry. There was nothing she could do for the rest of the night, except pray… pray that her sweet friend and her family will be let go and that they would finally be free.

 

The day of the party had finally arrived and when Leona woke up she felt like she was about vomit.  She was so nervous and very unsure of the events that were to happen. This party was going to be filled with self entitled, elite guests that were just as sexually depraved as the Mamiya’s.  What made her so nervous was the unpredictability of the guests. She had a feeling in her gut that they were not going to be the friendly sort.

When Sonic woke up he could sense his Mistress’s distress.  He hopped on her chest and decided to give her some therapy cuddles, hoping that it will get her through the day.

She smiled and gave him a few head pats as thanks.

“Today’s gonna be a pretty nerve wracking day, buddy.  You’ll be on standby just in case, won't you?”

“Hoot hoot!”

“Thanks Sonic, I knew I could count on you.”

Leona jumped out of bed and got herself ready for the day.  Everyone was going to breakfast first instead of starting their usual morning duties.  Since today was the big day they all needed their energies at full capacity.

When Leona got to the dining room she noticed Mikako and Makoto weren’t there to serve the morning meal.  Instead Yuuna took up breakfast duty that day. That wasn’t the only thing that was odd that morning.  Usually the Mistress and sometimes Kyouichi would be at the breakfast table, but now the whole family was present.  Even though the servants have to take on a majority of the grunt work during the party the Mamiya women will have to play hostess throughout the day.  So of course they’ll need their energies too.

 _Then again, being hostesses will probably just be playtime to them.._ Leona thought bitterly.

Once everyone was seated at the table with their breakfasts placed in front of them the Mistress tapped her glass to get everyone’s attention.

“Alright everyone!  As we all know we have a very busy day ahead of us.  The guests will be arriving at noon, so I need everything to be ready by then.  After breakfast you three will finish cleaning the ballroom area. Yuuna and Leona will get the food ready and placed on the buffet table, Yukito will get the rest of the selected wines from the cellar, and by noon Sachie, Yukito, and Leona will greet the guests when they arrive.  Sachie, you are quite popular with guests so I have no doubt about your abilities today. However, since Yukito and Leona are new, the guests will have high expectations so do your best for them! And Leona… let’s not have anymore outbursts, okay?”

“Understood, Ma’am.”

“Very good!  Marika, Marisa? I expect you two to do your best as well.  You are both free to have fun but try to stay focused on displaying our latest products.”

Marika nodded and smiled.  Clearly she was very excited for the days events ahead of her.

“Of course, I can’t wait to see my friends again!  I feel like it’s been forever since the last party.”

“Just leave the old geezers to me, mother.  Thanks to our new products and my devastating good looks they’ll have hardons for days!”

The Mistress smiled at her kids, clearly proud of them for their work on the party.  To Leona this something that a mother really shouldn’t be proud of.

“Excellent! Kyouichi, I know how anti social you can be, but please try to mingle and be polite to our guests.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Leona noticed that Kyouichi was more angsty than usual that morning.  Was it because of Mikako?

“Alright everyone, let’s eat.  We need all our energies at 100% today so make sure to eat plenty of breakfast before you get to work.”

Leona wanted to follow everyone’s example but her stomach was in knots.  She tried to come up with backup plans but she was very unsure of how they would turn out.  Since there would be a lot of people at the estate that day, anything could could go wrong. If she uses her powers too much her cover would be blown and her blood breed nature would be exposed to outsiders.  So she decided to play the day by ear. If there was any funny business, and she knew there would be. She can deal with it. At least she hoped she would.

 

When all their pre-party preparations were finished Sachie, Yukito and Leona went to foyer to await the guests arrival.  The wine was placed on the table. The hors d'oeuvres, main courses, and desserts were ready to be served, and the ballroom was sparkly clean.  Now all that was left was to wait in anticipation. 

Soon enough, a whole bunch of luxury cars came coming through the gate.  Leona felt her heart drop into her stomach and her stomach dropping down to her toes.  She really didn’t want to interact with any associate of the Mamiya’s. But, she didn’t have a choice.  She was really backed into a corner this time and she regretted not coming up with a plan sooner. Playing the day by ear was definitely not one of her best ideas but it was too late now.

The first guests to arrive were two older gentlemen who were probably to CEOs or executives.  They were probably in their sixties or early seventies. They were both wearing designer suits which would have looked good on them if it weren’t for their plump bellies sticking out.

The second to arrive were two beautiful women whose bodies were very similar to the Mistress’s. One was of Asian descent who wore her hair in identical buns and wore a provocative Chinese style dress with white thigh highs, she also had glasses.  Her companion had long blonde hair light, tan skin, a pointy nose and freckles. Her little black dress left her companion’s and the Mistress’ a run for their money! They looked recognizable since the Bun head was a famous actress and the blonde was a famous Italian model.  Who would have thought they had similar appetites like the Mistress.

When the gentleman entered, they moved to the center of the room and started chatting.  They were pretty vocal about their topic that Leona couldn’t help but overhear.

“Hahaha!  I’m surprised to see you’ve made it here today!  From what I’ve heard you’ve been having heart troubles.  Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

“Ah yes, my doctor told me not use Viagra anymore.  Without it I always have a difficult time to get it up these days.  However, Thanks to the Mamiya’s miracle pills and suppositories I can get hard for hours and I don’t feel tired!  Honestly, if I didn’t have the Mamiya’s products I don’t know what I’d do!”

“Hahahaha! I’m with you there old sport.  I just recently got a new Mistress and she’s been such a delight!  I can do whatever I want with her and the fun never stops! I’m hoping today’s events will be the same.”

"Indeed!”

_Goddamn pigs!_

Hearing their conversation just made Leona’s stomach turn.  All they cared about was having their sexual desires met. They would probably stick it in anyone as long as they get off.  It was just plain sick!

The women weren’t any better.

“Ugh, Yukari remind me to never let you drive again.  I’m still feeling carsick.”

“Well what can I say, Francesca?  I wanted to come here as soon as possible.  Marie sent an email that Makoto was available.  I’m so going to add him to my collection of young men!”

“Honestly, those poor boys.  Once you grow tired of one of them or you drain them of all their semen you end up killing them or send them somewhere worse!”

“Hey!  They’re my boy toys and I can use them how I want to!”

“You’re so going to Hell one day.”

“Said the one who killed one of my servants by injecting him with too many stimulants.  He was my favorite, you know!”

These people were insane!  They really weren’t any different from the Mamiya’s!  As soon as they got what they wanted from the servants they would kill them off once they were stuffed and bored.

Leona was wishing that she came here two weeks early so she wouldn’t have to put up with this bullshit.  However, Leona’s safe zone was about to be decimated once the two older gentleman began to make their way towards Sachie and herself.

“Sachie!  You are looking as cute as ever!”

“I hope we’ll have plenty of fun in store today?”

Sachie laughed, pretending to be charmed by these geezers.  Since she was here for a long time she’s gotten used to these parties.

“Haha!  Don’t worry, you won’t be disappointed!”

While the man in the red suit was getting handsy with Sachie, his companion in the black tuxedo adjusted his glasses as he studied Leona closely.  She would have been more than happy just blending into the tacky wallpaper.

“And who would this little lady be?  I don’t believe I’ve ever seen her before.”

Sachie kindly stepped away from her hands guest so she could introduce her co-worker.

“This is Leona Watch.  She started working here last week.  She’s actually the same rank as me! I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with her skills.”

Leona didn’t appreciate being advertised like this but she pretended to be polite for the guests so she wouldn’t get into trouble again.

“Um… it’s really nice to meet you sir.”

The gentleman’s face was getting way too close to her’s.  Unfortunately, he was a mouth breather and it smelled like an onion bagel that’s been left out in the sun all day.

He flashed Leona a not-so-nice smile and stood at his full height as he walked behind her.  He placed a clammy hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear.

“I have no doubt we’ll be having plenty of fun today…”

When he proceeded to touch Leona’s behind, what she did happened so fast.  Her street smart instincts had immediately kicked in. She spun around fast and slapped him hard across the face.  The sound of the slap and the old man’s grunt echoed through the hall.

The woman were too distracted by Yukito to notice what had happened.  But Sachie and the two gentleman were completely dumbfounded. Even Leona was shocked by her actions!  But those advances were completely unwanted, that her fight or flight reflexes just sprang into action.

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to-"

Her abuser was completely engulfed with rage.  He wasn’t ready to be humiliated by some runt maid.

“You… WHY YOU LITTLE BITCH!”

Just as his hand was about to assault her cheek, Leona closed her eyes and braced for impact.  However, nothing happened… instead she heard a voice.

“Didn’t anyone tell you it’s disgraceful to strike a lady?”

It was a voice that Leona knew very, VERY well…

when she opened her eyes slowly she couldn’t believe what she saw.  Was it a dream? It had to be! But it wasn’t… she was wide awake. The man who was protecting her from that horrid old pig was none other than her beloved, Klaus Von Reinherz… The very Klaus Von Reinherz who was holding the man’s wrist in an iron death grip!  

If looks could kill, the geezer would probably be dead by now.  Once Klaus knew that her abuser learned his lesson he let him go.  The gentleman dusted off his tuxedo and fixed his toupee.

“Hmph!  She’s too plain for me anyway.  Come on, let’s get inside, Sachie.  I could use a drink.”

“Right away sir!”

Before she went with her companions she turned and glared at her co-worker.

“Don’t fuck this up, Leona!”

Soon she and Klaus were left alone in the foyer.  Leona has so many emotions flowing through her that it was hard to express through words.  While she was frightened by what had happened, her heart was so overjoyed for seeing her sweet love again.

Still shellshocked from what happened, the only thing she could say in that moment to him was, “Th-Thank you…”


	19. Chapter 19

_A few days before the party…_

When Klaus and Steven reviewed the latest video, they were very ecstatic.  Finally, after what seemed like endless waiting, they finally got legitimate evidence of the Mamiya’s holding the missing beyondians against their will.  However, they were also in full on panic mode. Even though beyondians have been found there were only twenty being held at the estate as “breeders”. The very word made them sick to their stomachs.  The Mamiya’s were practically running a factory of fae beyondians, and on the outside no less! On top of that, hundreds of beyondians that were previously taken to the mansion a year and a half ago were sent all over the country to satisfy the ugly needs of the ultra elite.  They may have been sent to their associates outside the U.S. To make things worse than they already are, many missing beyondians are dead either by the hands of the Mamiya’s or by suicide…

After reviewing the tape, both men were feeling completely mortified for failing to act earlier.

“Damnit!  We should have looked into this case sooner!  We shouldn’t have waited to get permission from the police.  We should have looked into this case when the first few citizens went missing!”

For once, Klaus was acting completely calm.  Although, he did agree with Steven that they should have done their own private investigation once the disappearances became too frequent.

“I understand Steven, but it’s too late to regret what we could have done then.  All that matters now, is to rescue the victims being held at the estate and get our hands on any files of the beyondians that were sent outside New York.  But first, we need to get Leona the hell out of that place. The Mistress is getting antagonized with her and it’s only a matter of time she forces her to suffer the victims’ fate.”

“You’re right.  The Mamiya’s annual summer party is in four days and we have very little time to lose.  The plan will be simple. You go in, rent Leona for the duration of the party, buy her off the Mamiya’s hands, get out.  After that, we will take Leona to Bradbury General to make sure she’s all checked out and suffering any side effects from the drugs.  Lastly, we take the footage to the police and we head to the Catskills and raid the estate. Easy peasy.”

Klaus was one-hundred percent on board with Steven’s plan.  The sooner they get Leona out and rescue the victims the better.

 

The next morning, Klaus and Steven got everyone caught up with their latest evidence reviewing. They were now in full force with retrieving Leona at the party and rescuing the remaining beyondians from the mansion.  Libra was really excited that their beloved comrade will be coming back home. However, before they could celebrate they needed to prepare Klaus for when he arrives at the estate.

Steven decided to take on the job of turning Klaus into an eccentric millionaire playboy.

“You don’t want to have your heart run away with your head when you see Leona, big guy.  You have to play a certain part so that the host doesn’t suspect anything.”

Klaus was a little nervous about Steven’s plan.  While he did agree, he shouldn’t blow his cover, he didn’t want to frighten Leona by acting like a different person.

“I understand, Steven but do I have to play the part of some sleazy playboy?”

K.K. was completely on Klaus’ side for this one.

“No, you don’t have to act like a playboy per se.  But, I know you can play the eccentric millionaire role down to a t.  You still need to have some kind of weird fetish thing since you will be going to a soiree filled with sexual deviants.”

Steven was thinking this might be a better persona for Klaus afterall.  Being a sleazy playboy was not in Klaus’ nature, that role was more suited to Zapp.  However, having some kind of mild yet strange sexual appetite would be better suited for Klaus.

“That’s not a bad plan K.K.  When you get to the party and interact with Marie Mamiya you can tell her you have a fascination with petite bodies like Leona’s.  Your fetish would be that you love to treat your servants like they were dolls. As weird and fucked up as it sounds, she will probably buy into that.”

Klaus thought about for a minute.  Steven was right, that was pretty messed up and that fetish can be taken in so many wrong ways.  However, their options on his persona was limited so he agreed to use it.

“Okay, That’s fine.  But what kind of personality should I take on?”

K.K smirked when Klaus asked about that.

“Oh, that’s easy.  Just act cold and indifferent, like Steven!”

The ice user took exception to that comment, but she was half right.

“Okay first of all, ouch… but she does have a point.  You should act cold around Leona but also, display that you are interested.  Like, for instance go around behind Leona, put your hand on her waist and play with a strand of her hair.  Also, you will be bringing a ton of cash to rent Leona for the party. Once you hand Mamiya the case, I doubt she will say no to your request.  I know this out of left field for you but once you are completely alone with Leona, you can break character. You think you can handle that?”

This was pretty overwhelming to Klaus.  Even though, the persona that Steven and K.K. made for him was pretty mild, It still went against everything he stood for.  He loves Leona with every fibre of his being and would never think of putting her in a position that would make her feel uncomfortable or scared.  However, these were desperate times and Klaus willing to do anything to bring this case to an end. He just hoped that Leona will know that he would be just roleplaying and that he didn’t mean her any harm.  In the end, he agreed to the plan.

“Alright, I’ll agree to play the part to get Leona out of there.  However, when I make the request to buy Leona from the Mamiya’s, what if they ask for more than the cash I will be given?”

Klaus had a good point.  Steven pondered his question for a few minutes but then came up with a fairly simple solution.

“Then say that the money in the second case is only the first half of the payment and that you will send her a check for the rest later.  Besides, Leona is really starting to get under the Mamiya’s nerves anyway. You even heard the woman yourself that she is already on thin ice.  I have no doubt the Mamiya’s will be more than happy to get rid of her.”

Steven had a point.  Leona was starting to get on the Mamiya’s last nerve because of how nosey she’s been. He was definitely sure they’d be more than willing to sell her to Klaus and to have her out their hair.

“Alright, I think we got everything we need to get Leona home.  We’ve got a few days before the party so it should give us plenty of time to rehearse before you pick up your girl, Klaus.”

“I call dibs on picking his outfit!”  K.K. said with excitement.

Even though Klaus was nervous about returning to the infamous party from his past, he missed his Leona even more.  If it means he has to become an eccentric millionaire bad boy to get Leona back, then by Jove he’s going to be the best millionaire bad boy he could be.

“Teach me everything you know, Steven.  I am in your hands.”

Steven smirked at his friend’s request.  This was gonna be fun…

 

Over the next few days before the big soirée, Klaus went under Steven and K.K.’s intestate training to become one with his eccentric millionaire persona.  Steven took charge with giving him the proper lines to say and how to act around Leona when he’s in front of the Mamiya’s. It wasn’t easy… Steven pretty much had to slap his wrist every time he apologized to Chain (who agreed to role play as Leona) or ran to her with reckless abandon.  He thought Klaus would be unable to do it, but after reassessing his willpower, he was finally able to become one with his character. Steven still gave him some minor training but he knew Klaus was ready to head to the Catskills.

Soon it was K.K.’s turn to help Klaus’ character to come full circle.  She and Zapp went through his wardrobe to see which suit would look good on him.  They wanted him to look the part of an elegant yet eccentric millionaire, but they don’t want to make him to obvious.  K.K. was able to find a black jacket with slacks to match and a white button down shirt that would look great with the overall style.  For shoes he would just wear black loafers. All that was left were some small extras to have the outfit come full circle 

Zapp decided to pick out the accessories and to add some small details to make the outfit come together perfectly.  At first he thought a scarf would look good on him, but then he decided against it. He thought it was too elegant even for an eccentric millionaire bad boy.  Then Zapp tried a simple gold chain but thought he looked too much like a bad boy millionaire and not enough eccentric millionaire. But then, inspiration struck when he found the expensive Rolex on the dresser.  He also took a waistcoat from the closet and then opened the first few buttons on his shirt to show just a little bit of cleavage. Both K.K. And Zapp agreed, that he was definitely looking the part of an elegant yet eccentric millionaire bad boy.  Klaus certainly was not going to object to the outfit. Even he admitted that he was looking pretty sharp in that suit.

Soon enough, it was the morning of the party.  Klaus was so nervous and excited he woke up a little too early to take his shower and wear the suit that Zapp and K.K. Picked out for him.  The days events didn’t start till noon but since the drive to the Catskills was three hours, Klaus and Gilbert would leave at around 9:30. He went to the office early to do a last minute cram session of the rescue plan.  Klaus had everything he needed, he had the suit, the invitation, the cash, and the attitude to make this mission a success.

Klaus’ nerves were still bugging him but Steven reassured him that everything would be fine.

“There’s no need to worry!  These four days of training helped prepared you for this day.  You’re ready… now, go and bring our girl back.”

Klaus smiled at his friend.  He probably would have been a mess if he went to the estate without everyone’s help.  But now he felt more than ready to go over there and bring Leona home.

“I couldn’t have done this without you, Steven.  Once the party's over I'll call you. we’ll be back by around midnight.”

“Excellent!  We’ll be waiting for you guys back at the office.  Now go get her!”

After Steven have Klaus a slap on the back, he and Gilbert got in the car and made their way to the Mamiya estate.

 

As Gilbert was driving up the mountain, Klaus sat quietly in the back seat.  The bandaged butler was feeling some serious deja vu. Leona was also deathly quiet on the first day of her solo mission.  He was more than certain his young master was getting the notorious collywobbles just like she was when he drove her to the estate.

“Feeling a bit anxious, young sir?”

Klaus was taken out of his daze with Gilbert’s question.  He stared at the rear view window to make eye contact with the bandaged servant.

“Is it that obvious?” Klaus asked with some embarrassment.

“Hohoho!  I had a hunch, sir.  Ms. Leona was the same way when I drove her to the estate.”

“I’m not surprised.  This was her first solo mission after all.  I blame myself, actually… the night before she left she had doubts if she was the right agent for this mission.  I probably shouldn’t have told her about my experience with that family.”

“I’d have to disagree with you sir.  You never had any intention to scare her, you told her the truth.  Telling her about your experience at the Mamiya estate made Leona aware of what these people are capable of and she was fully prepared for trials ahead of her.”

Klaus nodded, he knew deep down that Leona needed to know about the Mamiya’s even if his memories about them were repressed.  At least now everyone knows how truly horrible the people truly are. Not only that, Klaus found out that their closest friends and allies were impacted by the Mamiya’s in some way and it left a painful scar.  Dr. Estevez, and how many patients were transferred over to the Mamiya group’s hospitals and being treated as guinea pigs for their transplant operations. Detective Daniel Law, and how he couldn’t bring justice to the survivors of the Mamiya’s cruelty any justice.  And poor Jack… he lived with regrets for not being able to save the family who was in debt to the early Mamiya’s.

So many people were hurt by the Mamiya’s heartless ways and so many live were lost too.  However, after tonight all their cruelties would soon come to and end. They’ve become cocky, thinking they’ve got the law wrapped around their fingers.  But Libra isn’t so easily swayed by bribes and threats. The Mamiya’s made a big mistake in thinking their power would reach beyond the fog of Hellsalem’s Lot.  When the balance between the human and alter worlds is at stake by any outside influence, Libra makes sure that they pay dearly for their crimes. And Klaus will see to that the Mamiya’s will pay for all the misery that their tainted bloodline has caused…

Once their car approached the gates of the mansion, the butterflies in Klaus’ stomach began to increase tenfold.  While he was very happy and excited to see his beloved Leona again, the memories of his fourteen year-old self at the Mamiya’s party came flooding back.  Even though he was a fully grown adult he felt like a scared teenager again. He always thought he’d never interact with this family again, yet here he was.

Gilbert noticed the distressed look on his young master’s face and wondered if he should go in Klaus’ place to retrieve Ms. Leona.

“Young sir, are you sure you want to go in there?  I’ll be more than happy to get Leona for you.”

Klaus shook off his nerves and looked Gilbert in the eye.

“No, I’ll be fine.  I’ve been wanting to see Leona for nearly two weeks and now I’ll finally be able to be with her.  If anyone is going to bring her home, it’s going to be me. I’m not a child anymore and I’ll be sure to let Marie Maniya know I’m not afraid of her.”

“Very good, sir.  Remember to take the cash with you so you can rent Leona and buy her off the Mamiya’s at the end of the party.  I’ll pick you and Ms. Leona up at around eight.”

“See you then, Gilbert.”

Once Klaus gathered the cases and stepped out of the vehicle, Gilbert went off  on his way. He was on his own but not for long. His sweet Leona was inside the mansion and was ready to finally get her back.  

He noticed a few luxury cars were parked in the driveway indicating a some of the guests have already arrived.  Klaus made his way to the front door. It was already opened since more guests would be coming anyway. He took a look around the foyer and not much has changed since his last visit.  Some of the guests were mostly interacting with the servants who would no doubt be tasked with “entertaining” the patrons.

When Klaus entered the room his presence caught the attention of a blonde haired woman in a skimpy black dress.

“Who do you think he is, Yukari?”

Her companion with the bun covers tilted her glasses to observe him closely.  She wasn’t impressed.

“Ugh, he’s way too scary.  I mean look at those fangs!  He looks like some kind of vampire or a werewolf.  Not cute at all!”

“True, while he may be intimidating in height, I’m curious to know what he might be packing in those trousers of his…”

The blonde licked her lips at him in a vulgar manner that made Klaus’ skin crawl.  He quickly avoided eye contact and went to go find Leona. His search would no longer be necessary when he heard the sound of a loud slap.  He quickly turned to the source of the noise and there she was. His sweet Leona dressed in that god awful uniform and had just tried to defend herself from that older gentleman in the tailcoat.  He had no idea what the man did, but assumed he touched her in an unwanted manner.

Klaus had little time to get angry as the man was absolutely furious at Leona for defying his advances.

Leona was frightened and was trying her best to defuse the situation as much as could but to no avail.

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to-”

The man quickly raised his hand to strike her in the same way she did him, hoping to put Leona in her place.

“You… YOU LITTLE BITCH!”

Acting on impulse, Klaus ran up to the old man and clutched his wrist in his hand.  His beloved Leona had already suffered enough abuse in this wretched place.

“Didn’t anyone tell you it’s disgraceful to strike a lady?”

When Leona’s abuser turned to face Klaus, he felt like he was going to soil himself for pissing off the wrong man for nearly hitting the maid.  After getting his full of the old man’s scared face and realizing he learned his lesson, he let go of the man’s wrist. Once the old man was free from the giant’s clutches he straightened himself out and dusted off his suit in clear disgust.

“Hmph!  She’s to plain for me anyway.  Come Sachie, let’s go inside. I could use a drink.”

The blue haired woman answered to the unruly guest’s orders but no before harshly scolding Leona for making a guest unhappy even though it wasn’t her fault.  When all of the guests and servants went into the ballroom to begin the festivities, Klaus and Leona were alone in the foyer. The silence between them was palpable since neither of them didn’t know what to do next.  Klaus desperately wanted to hold Leona in his arms again and give her all the kisses in the world! Even that wouldn’t be enough to express how much he missed her. But, both of them were too afraid to make the first move since anyone could come in the foyer at anytime.

However, Despite feeling shell shocked Leona was able to say the first few words to him

“Th-Thank you…”

Even though that wasn’t the response he expected, he smiled at her and said, “You’re welcome.”

Klaus was about to say more but he was interrupted by the very woman who’s been haunting his mental state since the mission started.  Only this time she wasn’t a hallucination.

“Klaus Von Reinherz… My, my my.  It really has been too long. I remember when you and your parents came to our party the first time. You were such a cute little thing back then, but look at you now…”

Klaus was feeling very uncomfortable.  The way that Marie Mamiya was sizing up his body felt completely unwanted and imposing.  However, he needed shake off the feeling quickly. He remembered the role he needed to play while he was in fronted the Mamiya’s thanks to Steven’s training.  He ignored the queasy feeling in his stomach and greeted her in the most suave tone he could pull off.

“Lady Mamiya, it truly is an honor to see you again.  I apologize for letting my parents make us leave so soon the last time.  They’re not as open minded, I’m afraid.”

The Mistress laughed, and approached Klaus seductively.

“Puberty must have been extraordinarily kind to you, Klaus.  I could hardly recognize the innocent teenage boy in you. Has it really been fifteen years?  My god, how time flies.”

She kept placing her hands on his chest and biceps, inspecting him like he was a prime cut of steak.  Poor Leona was feeling hurt and confused by the disgusting display the Mistress was putting on. She kept twiddling her fingers just to avoid any awkward eye contact with Klaus.  He needed to be alone with Leona and fast! Good thing he had the cash on hand to divert the Mistress’ attention from his body.

“Well anyway, I heard among the grapevine that you just got a new maid in your employ.  It would seem I’ve already met her but we haven’t been properly introduced. Care to do the honors, Madame.”

The Mistress’ smile faltered a bit when his attention turned to the petite maid, that was just standing in front of them and awkwardly watching their canoodling.  But, not wanting to feel like an impolite host, introduced Leona to Klaus.

“Oh, this is Leona Watch.  She may be new to my staff, but she very experienced in giving great service to this family.  However, she’s been rather… disobedient as of late. I fear she’s going to need some remedial training if her little attitude problem still continues.”

Klaus walked up to Leona and aggressively grabbed her chin.  Leona flinched at his touch. It broke his heart that she was feeling so afraid him.  He hoped she knew that he was only acting and he didn’t mean to be so cruel.

“Oh, I’m sure I might be able to adjust that little temper of hers.”

Klaus moved behind her and placed his hand on her waist and played with a strand of her hair, just like Steven advised him to.

“My method is to treat my servants like pretty little dolls.  If you treat them with the right amount of love and implement the proper punishments, they will answer to your every beck and call .”

The Mistress was very intrigued with Klaus’ methods.

“That’s quite a fascinating philosophy. So, you have a passion for dolls, Mr. Von Reinherz?”

“I do indeed… ever since I was a child, I’ve always loved how small and delicate they are.  I can dress them, brush their hair, and I can make them be what I want them to be. Ah, They never fail to make my heart quiver with excitement.”

Leona couldn’t believe what she was hearing!  Yes, she liked it when he called her a doll when they were intimate.  But, the way Klaus was talking about them and how they were his to command just made her feel beyond uncomfortable.  This couldn’t be her kind and gentle Klaus… could it?

“That is a very promising method, Mr. Klaus.”

“If it’s alright with you, I would like to rent this one for the remainder of the party.  I’m positive you won’t have any more problems by the time I’m finished playing with her. I’ll even make it worth your while.”

Klaus took the briefcase at his side and opened it with ease.  When the Mistress saw the huge amount of cash inside, he could swear that he saw her pupils turn into dollar signs.

“Well… if you really think you can take her on and if you are willing to spend this much money to rent Leona just for the party… I suppose I don’t see why not.”

“Excellent.  I’m sure she will be much more agreeable by the time we’re through.”

“Oh, I have no doubt about that.  Leona, you will be tending to Mr. Von Reinherz for the day.  You will see to all of his desires today. Is that understood?”

Leona was still in shock over everything that’s happened these past few minutes, she could only nod in agreement.

“We have multiple playrooms ready for any guests wanting their privacy today.  All of them have been equipped with our latest products, such as our thin condoms suppositories for a more intense pleasure.”

The Mistress lead the two to the first playroom right across from the ballroom.  The playroom was pretty much a junior suite version of the Mistress’ bedroom. It had a queen sized bed with a canapé, a Persian rug, and the dresser was completely covered with vibrators of all shapes and sizes.  Not only that the coffee table had so many different sized condoms and sexual performance enhancers. Leona was told by Klaus to sit on the bed so she could await orders. The Mistress gave him the key to their room and told him that the food is on the buffet table in the ballroom if he wanted Leona to get anything for him.  She also told him about the auction that took place at the end of the party.

When the Mistress left them alone Klaus immediately shut the door and locked it.  He only stayed there for a few minutes just to hear if she was far enough away from the playroom.  Leona on the other hand, was desperate to know if this man really was Klaus. After those silent minutes went by she finally got up the courage to ask him.

“Klaus… that is you… isn’t it?”

Klaus turned around to face Leona.  Now that they were finally alone, he could no longer contain his emotions.  He ran up to Leona, lifted her up in the air and held onto her tight that he never wanted to let her go.  He’s been waiting for nearly two weeks for this moment but it felt like years since he last embraced her.

Klaus wept tears of joy as he continued to rock his lover side to side.

“Leona!  Mein Herz… mein Liebling!  Oh, how I’ve missed you!”

Any doubts that Leona had about Klaus immediately dissipated.  She knew this gentle warmth anywhere and no other man would hold her like a teddy bear and cry while calling her pet names in German.

Leona was finally able to let her guard down and soon enough, she was bawling too.  She missed Klaus more than he would ever know.

“Klaus… Il mio amore più caro…. you have no idea how happy I am to see you!  You were acting so strange, I thought you were someone else.”

“Oh Leo, mein Schatz, forgive me for scaring you.  It was the only way for us to be alone without raising suspicion.  I would never do anything to make you feel uncomfortable on purpose.  You know that right?”

Leona sniffled while wiping away some of Klaus tears with her thumb.  She then gave him her sweet smile that never failed to make him happy even on his bad days.

“Of course I do, Love.  But all I care about now is that we’re together again, and that’s all that matters.”

Leona cupped Klaus’ face in her hands and moved in to give him the kiss he’s been waiting for.  To both of them it tasted salty from the tears but it was also the sweetest since the two weeks they’ve been apart from one another.  Klaus didn’t want to stop but he knew they would need to come up for air eventually.

When Leona broke away from the kiss she placed her head on Klaus’ shoulder.  She could smell the cinnamon apple cider flavored blood through his skin and had a desire to nibble in his flesh.  She needed him to take her right then and there.

“Klaus… I… I need you.”

Leona released Klaus from her grip and laid on the bed with her hair sprawled about the satin sheets.  She ran her fingers along and in between her thighs and right into her most intimate area.

“Since I’m all yours for the afternoon, you’re free to touch me however you like, mi amore.”

The Adam’s apple in Klaus’ throat bobbed as Leona was coquettishly touching herself.  He had an intense urge to rip that gaudy uniform off of her and to ravish her body with kisses and cuddles to his heart’s content.  His desire for intimacy with his lover was the same as Leona’s intense need for him to touch her.

He got on all fours and moved towards Leona like a lion on the prowl.  When he was face to face with her, a growl rumbled in his throat. His lips were right next to her ear and he whispered with a desperate need to have her all to himself again.

“Let’s get you out of that uniform, shall we…”

Leona was only too glad to oblige.  She lifted herself up and maneuvered her body so her back was facing Klaus.  This way he could have easy access to remove her apron and dress. When she placed her long mane to her front, Klaus had a full view of Leona’s back.  As much as he wanted to completely destroy her uniform, doing so would no doubt get her into trouble. So, he restrained himself for her sake and got to untying her apron.  Next he unclasped the collar and unzipped her dress, leaving the skin of her back exposed. As Klaus was about to kiss her shoulders, Leona placed her hand there to stop him.

Ah, ah, ah… you have to remove the rest of my clothes first.  You’ll get to the kissing soon, I promise.”

Klaus really wanted to get to that part soon.  But even he knew that he should savor this moment as much as possible.

“* _gulp*_ As you command, mein Prinzessin…”

After removing her bra, Klaus maneuvered Leona’s body so she could face him, then gently laid her back down on the bed again.  He took the skirt of her dress and stripped it off of her body. All that was left was her headband, stockings, and panties that were already getting stained.  He wanted Leona to be comfortable so he removed the headband next. He grabbed the sides of the white panties and slid them off her legs and tossed them to the side.  All that was left were the high thighs. Klaus was about to strip the last articles of clothing off of her, but When Leona put her hand on top of his, he stopped.

Leona noticed how hot and bothered Klaus was getting, from his heavy breathing to the noticeable swelling in Klaus’ trousers.  She felt bad she was depriving him too much from the pleasure he so desperately needed so, she decided to reward him for being so patient.

“Klaus, you’ve been such a good boy for being so calm.  Let me give you a little reward…”

Leona quickly got up from the bed and gently pushed Klaus down.  She gave him a peck on the lips then got to work undressing him. She started with unbuttoning the dress shirt first.  When Klaus’ chest was exposed his nipples were already hard. Leona placed a kiss and licked each one as he let out a needy whimper.  Before she got to the pants, Leona caressed his growing bulge. She could feel it pulsing so violently that it threatened to break through the fabric.  Klaus’ arousal was nearly reaching its peak that it was becoming painful.

“Please…. Leona…. don’t tease…. I need you…”

Unable to keep him waiting any longer, she quickly discarded his pants and underwear.  His manhood was throbbing wildly, desperate for release. Leona kissed the tip and used her saliva along with the slick precum as lubricant.  She moved her slender hands up and down the shaft as Klaus moaned and twitched from the intensity of the pleasure. He’s been fantasizing about this for days and his patience was finally paying off.

Leona noticed that he was getting close to his climax, so she started stroking a little faster.

“You enjoying this, big guy?”

Klaus could barely speak but he tried to answer as clearly as he could.

“Aahhh… haaahh…. I… I…. yes!  I’ve missed you so much… I could hardly stand it…. ah!  Leona, I-I think I’m going to- AAAHH!”

His seed covered Leona’s hand and part of her cheek, but she didn’t mind.  She took a tissue from the box on the nightstand and wiped herself and Klaus off.  However, even though Klaus just came he was still hard and wanted more. He got up and gently grabbed Leona’s shoulders and laid her on the wrinkled satin sheets.

Leona was caught off guard because of how fast she went down.

“Klaus?”

Even though Klaus was still hungry for her affection, he gently caressed her cheeks with loving care.  He wanted to show his love for her in return as well.

“Leona, I want to make love to you.  I need to be inside you and feel your warmth around me, Please?”

Leona smiled at him then gave him a tender kiss and suckled on his lower lip.  She slid her hand down to her womanhood and spread her legs apart, giving Klaus a perfect view of her petals.  

“I’m all yours, mi amore…”

Klaus swallowed hard as soon as she said the word of approval. “Oh, mein Liebling!”

Klaus gently pounced on Leona.  He peppered kisses all over her body from head to toe as he rolled her stockings down.  Now that Leona was completely naked, he took a condom from the nightstand and slid it on with ease.  Even though she was wet and ready to go, he still wanted to make sure she was prepared enough for him to enter.

“Are you alright, my darling?  I’ve been waiting for so long, but I don’t want to hurt you because of my own excitement.”

Leona felt her heart skip a beat.  She was so touched by his consideration she caressed the hairs in his sideburns for his consideration for her comfort.

“I’ll be just fine, Klaus.  I’m ready for you…”

When Klaus got the go head, he positioned his cock straight into Leona’s entrance and moved his way in and out gently.  When the tip met her G-spot a shock of pleasure went up and down Leona’s spine. It felt so intense, she had to wrap her legs around Klaus’s waist so she could get him deeper inside.  He too felt the same shock as he felt Leona squeeze his length. They both needed the release soon.

Klaus quickly moved in out of her as Leona moaned in pleasure.  In their revelry, Klaus saw the tears running down his lover’s face.  He slowed down to a stop to see if she was okay.

“Darling, are you alright?  I’m not hurting you, am I?”

“No… that’s not it… I was thinking that, this is what making love is all about.  The Mamiya’s don’t understand that at all. They only care about the gratification.  They don’t know how it feels to truly become one with your soulmate! This… this is how it should be…”

Klaus felt his heart ache in his chest.  He witnessed through Leona’s eyes how the Mamiya’s have used sex as a means for either profit or for their own entertainment.  And in the end people would either get hurt or killed for it. All they did was take and take. And when they weren’t the ones partaking, they forced others to copulate against their will!  They would never understand what he and Leona had. What they had right there, was real.

Klaus kisses his love passionately.  He looked into eyes, not the disguised ones she’s been using for the mission but her god's eyes that reflected off of his green emeralds.

“Mein herz… I love you, I really do.”

He held her tight and continued to move in and out of her.  They were getting close to their climax.

“Klaus!  I’m going ah! To cum soon!  Ahhh!”

“Let’s… do it… together! Hah, hah, ahhh!”

They were both moving at a fast speed.  The heat in their stomachs was getting intense.  Soon enough the nectar from Leona’s well came flooding out as Klaus shot his seed inside her.  They both collapsed on the bed in exhaustion, trying to catch their breath. Leona placed her head in Klaus’ plump chest as he held her close.

“I’m really glad you’re here Klaus… and not just for this.  You know that right?”

Klaus chuckled as he pecked her forehead.

“I feel the exact same way, my dear.  Although… it wouldn’t hurt to do it again, yes?”

Klaus looked so cute when he was acting all sheepish that she couldn’t hold back her laughter.  But she certainly wasn’t going to say no to another round or two…. maybe three.

“Well, since you did ask nicely… hehehe!”

 

The pair went at it for another five rounds. They even lost all track of time and were completely unaware until they laid down to rest, it was already 4:30 PM.  Klaus and Leona had sex for the majority of the party, but they didn’t care. They were glad they had this room to themselves rather than be among the greasy old men or sadistic nymphos in the ballroom.  For now it was just them in their own little world, just the way they liked it. Leona had her head on Klaus’ chest as he held her close to him. Now that both of their libidos were under control they just wanted to cuddle.  However, Leona was still amazed they were able to do it another five times.

“Okay, am I the only one very impressed we were able to do those rounds?  I mean, I know we’re both superhuman and everything, but still!”

“I think it was to be expected, dear.  With both of our vitalities as well as the sexual deprivation we’ve dealt with these past few weeks, I’m not all that surprised.”

Leona’s smile faltered a bit.  He did have a point since Leona’s urges have been getting intense since she saw Yukito and Yuuna having sex in the bathroom the week before the party.

“Yeah, I think you’re right, Klaus.  It’s kind of ironic that a house run by nymphomaniacs can make you feel so sexally frustrated.”

Klaus could only imagine.  He felt horrible for Leona and the servants who had to put up with more than just the frustration because of the Mamiya’s.  However, now that he was with his beloved again, that will no longer be an issue. She wouldn’t have to put up with their cruelty any longer.

“Darling, now that we’ve calmed down a bit, I need to talk to you about a few things .”

Leona propped herself on her elbows so she could face Klaus.  She hoped he was okay. Even though Jack told her he was fine, she didn’t fully believe him.  When she undressed him during their revelry, she noticed he lost some weight around his waist and cheekbones.  To her, that was a lot of weight to lose in such a short amount of time. Leona wanted hear from him what went on the past week she wasn’t at Libra.

“Sure Klaus, what’s on your mind?”

Klaus sat up and pulled Leona closer to him.  “Well, the first thing I want to tell you about, is the events that happened last week.”

Leona looked at Klaus who had an expression of embarrassment and shame.

“I’m afraid that, I couldn’t keep my promise to you, Liebling.  I remember before you left I’d say I would try to be as calm as possible.  However… I wasn’t as brave as you wanted me too. Everyday felt like agony to me.  Days spent at the office I would worry about what would be going on in this house, and if you were okay.  I was even told by Steven and Gilbert to sit out some of the review sessions hoping that I would have some piece of mind.  While it did work for a little while, my anxiety just got worse.”

Leona wasn't entirely surprised.  While she did notice the weight loss, she also took note of the faint dark circles under his his eyes.  However, she let him continue on with his narration.

“It got to the point where I was losing sleep and barely ate.  Because of that, I began hallucinating. They were getting so bad that I scared poor Glitter into leaving my home until you returned.  In the end, I had a bad fainting spell and had to go to the hospital… I’m sorry, Leona. While you were here fighting, I just spent a majority of the mission just causing everyone trouble.  I’m truly ashamed, not just as a leader, but as your lover as well. I hope you can forgive me, mein Herz.”

Leona nuzzled Klaus’ chest.  To her, there was nothing to forgive.

“It’s okay, mio Angelo.  These past few weeks have been hard on both of us.  Although, I knew that your anxieties would hound you while I was away, I didn’t know that it would get to the point where you had to seek medical attention.  I guess it was partially my fault, too. I chose to act rebellious towards the Mamiya’s when I should have played the part I was assigned. But, I couldn’t. My co-workers the beyondians… Chris… they all needed my help and I couldn’t just stay silent while they suffered.  I just wish I could have done more, even though I would be going against Steven’s orders, I should have helped Chris escape. Maybe then, he would still be alive…”

Klaus placed his fingers underneath Leona’s chin and lifted her head to meet his gaze.  Her sad blue eyes were met with the gentle green she was so familiar with.

“You did the best you could, Leona.  I wouldn’t have you do this mission any other way.  While what happened to Chris was unfortunate, you gave him the tenderness that he desperately needed in his final moments.  I also noticed the same kindness you shared with the beyondians, too. They’ve been in that basement for a long time and just like Chris have been treated as produce rather than people.  While a part of me wished that you stayed at home with me, I’m glad you took on this mission. Not only did you capture evidence. You gave the people trapped here reassurance and hope even when the days were at their worst.  And, you did it all on your own, for that matter!”

Klaus took Leona’s hand and brought it close to his heart.  He gave her one of his smiles that made her feel all weak in the knees.

“I know you’ve heard me say this a thousand times, but even so I will never stop saying it.  I am so proud of you, Leona… So proud.”

He was right, Leona has heard Klaus tell her he was proud of her so many times.  And every single time he tells her that, she would never fails to be overwhelmed with emotion.  Nothing made her fall to pieces more than his praises of the bravery she had. But of course, Klaus would always help to pick her back up again.  As the blood breed continued to quietly cry in Klaus’ chest, he thought it was high time to explain why he came to the party, in the first place.

“Another thing I want to tell you, is that I’m not just here to check on your progress.  I plan to bring you back home.”

Leona stopped her crying at the word ‘home’.  Was he really serious? He was going to bring her back Hellsalem’s Lot?

“Really?  You’re seriously going to take me home?”

“Yes, see that case over there?  I will be using the money inside it to buy you off the Mamiya’s so I can bring you home.  Now that you managed to capture evidence of the beyondians whereabouts, we can finally show the footage we’ve collected these past few weeks to Detective Law.  Everything has fallen into place and we’ve finally got a chance to make this family pay for their crimes Everyone agrees it’s time to bring this case to a close and so do I.  We all want you to return to Libra again and reward you for your success. Well, what do you say?”

Leona was speechless.  After two weeks of working in this hell she was finally going home!  However, she didn’t feel happy. Well, she did but, something was still bothering her, like a feeling in her gut that it wouldn’t feel right to just up and leave.  She desperately wanted to go back to Hellsalem’s Lot to be with her friends again but, she felt her job at the mansion wasn’t 100% complete yet. For instance, she still didn’t really know who the Mamiya’s accomplice was.  While she did suspect Assistant Police Chief Crane, she didn’t have any solid proof he was responsible for the crime. On top of that, she had no idea what would happen to the hostages during her absence. Leona felt there were still too many variables that were left unchecked if she left.  She knew that the Mistress was extremely cunning and would be able to quirm her way out of the justice system even if the evidence footage was brought to the police. Everything that Leona and Klaus had went through would all be in vain unless she knew without a shadow of a doubt that all the bases to take the Mamiya’s down are covered.

There was also another thing Leona was worried about.  It’s been on her mind since the night before the party.  She had no idea what happened or what’s going to happen to the Nonohara family.  She didn’t see or heard from them since Mikako and her husband went to the reception room and she didn’t see Makoto either.  In fact, she didn’t see them all morning or even before the party. Knowing Maria Mamiya, she wouldn’t just let them off the hook easily.  They still had a lot of debt left to pay and she wasn’t just going to let that slide…

Then, in a flash she remembered the conversation she had with Mikako, and everything began to connect.   

_“Makoto and I are only working here as collateral until my husband pays off the debt.”_

_“Collateral?”_

_“It means that my son and I aren’t being paid for working as servants here.  And if my husband is unable to pay back the debt….it’s more than likely my son and I will be sold off to one of the Mistress’s associates.”_

Leona also recalled, one of the guests conversations, and how she had her eyes on Makoto.

_“Marie sent an email that Makoto was available.  I’m so going to add him to my collection of young men!”_

Leona’s eyes opened wide at the realization of the cruel fate that awaited the Nonoharas.

“... The auction!”

“I beg your pardon?  What about the auction?”  Klaus asked in confusion.

Like a bolt of lightning, Leona jumped off the bed and fumbled to get her uniform back on. Klaus was just staring at her in a daze.  He had no idea what was going through her mind in that moment, but clearly something wasn’t right.

“Leona, I don’t understand, what’s wrong?”

“Everything!” Leona said just as finished tying her apron.

Leona bolted out of the playroom and headed straight for the ballroom where the main festivities took place.  When she opened the doors, the smell of various bodily fluids quickly assaulted her nostrils and made her gag.  But that wasn’t even the half of it. The various sights and sounds of what went on in that ballroom made her sick to her stomach.

In that moment, she briefly recalled what Klaus described his first Mamiya party as the second circle of hell.  He wasn’t wrong… This place truly became a literal hell on earth.


	20. Chapter 20

When Leona quickly ran out of the playroom, Klaus was left all alone.  He was still reeling from what just happened. He only told his girlfriend that he planned to bring her home after the party.  However, he didn’t get the reaction he expected. Well, Leona did smile for a bit and seemed really happy that she was finally going home.  But, her smile faltered quickly, that her instincts were screaming at her that something was seriously wrong.

Now that Klaus thought about it, he recalled the video he and Steven reviewed the night before the party.  The ice user insisted that Klaus rested up before the party but he figured he’d be too excited to sleep anyway so he stayed behind.  In the video, Leona met Mikako’s husband who had failed to pay off the rest of the debt in time. The Mistress ordered the hapless couple to the reception room so they could discuss the terms of the collateral.  Klaus had no idea what the collateral would be, but Steven remembered from on of the other videos that if Mr. Nonohara was unable to pay the debt, his wife and child would be sold off to their associates.

Soon the gears in Klaus's brain began to turn.  Now he understood what made Leona freak out like she did!  The Nonohara’s would be on the auction block at the end of the party!  Klaus immediately put his suit back on and followed Leona to the ballroom.  However, when he got to the double doors he couldn’t open them. He tried to move but he was stuck.  It was as if his feet had been glued to the floor.

Klaus could already smell the bodily fluids from the other side of the door.  He tried to gather his courage to go in the ballroom. But, the odor made him feel so nauseated that he couldn’t go in there.  He felt ashamed of himself . If Leona was able to go in the chamber of horrors, then why couldn’t he?

‘ _I’m not a child anymore, dammit!  So, why?… Why am I still so scared? I’m sorry Leona, I’ll be there soon.’_

 

Even though Leona was overwhelmed with all the gross activities going on inside the ballroom, she tried to calm herself down by taking a few deep breaths and focus on the task at hand.  Not that it helped much since the atmosphere smelled like rotting oysters. However, she pushed forward so she could find the Mistress and ask where Mikako is. In the corner of her eye she noticed Yukito slumped on a chair in the corner.  The poor man was pale as a ghost and looked completely exhausted. Wanting to make sure if he was okay Leona sped walked over to him and kneeled in front of the chair.

“Yukito,  are you okay?! What happened?  What did they do to you?”

Yukito groaned as he tried to find a way to answer Leona’s question.  It was hard really hard to put into words without making it sound embarrassing and disgusting.

“The Mistress’s friends are insane!  They pretty much sucked me dry… they just forced me to keep going.  If I wasn’t convinced these women were succubi before, I am now!”

“I hate to disappoint you, but these people are 100% human.  They’re just a bunch of sex addicted nymphos. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

Yukito let out a bitter chuckle.

“I’m okay… I wish I could say the same for Yuuna…”

“What… Yukito, what happened to her?”

“She… those fucking geezers!  They practically tore her apart… I… I couldn’t do anything to help her…”

Leona began shaking in anger.  She was almost afraid to ask where she was, but she needed to know…

“Where is now?”

“She’s on that mattress over there.  But, don’t expect her to answer you. She’s been unconscious for a while.”

Leona left Yukito to rest.  When she found poor Yuuna, she was sprawled out on the dirty mattress.  The smell was so potent that she had to cover her nose and mouth with both her hands. The girl was a complete mess.  She was covered not only in fluids but used condoms as well. Her face was covered in dry stained tears and her stomach was bloated from the amounts of semen that was inside her.  

Leona kneeled down next to Yuuna and placed a hand on her tear stained cheek.  Yukito was right, those old men did tear her apart. They treated her like their own personal toilet… They probably didn’t care if they were hurting her or not.  She was just a tool to be used, nothing more. Leona held Yuuna’s hand to comfort her. Not that she would be able to feel her hand being held but if anyone was going to show her just an ounce of compassion, Leona would be the one to do it.

“I’m so sorry, Yuuna…”

Leona bit her lip.  This wasn’t fair!

‘ _Why is it that I don’t have to suffer while everyone around me has to?! Why?!”_

Just as Leona was about to consider tearing the whole room apart, the Mistress found her on the floor next to the unconscious maid.

“Leona, shouldn’t you be tending to Mr. Reinherz right now?”

Leona let go of Yuuna’s hand and stood up to face her oppressor.

“He let me take a break.”

The Mistress clearly wasn’t impressed with her answer. However, she continued acting with the false kindness that Leona has gotten used to by now.

“Oh, well the auction will be starting soon.  You should go and tell your temporary master immediately.”

The Mistress was about to leave to start the next event of the party, when Leona grabbed her wrist.

“Wait!  Since we’re on the subject of the auction, I have to know…. Where. Is. Mikako?”

The Mistress gave Leona a catty smile and quickly released her hand from Leona’s grip.

“Well, since it’s almost time for the main event, I suppose it’s only fair for you to say you’re goodbyes.  Come with me.”

Marie took a flute of champagne and climbed her glass to get everyone’s attention.

“Everyone!  I would like to thank all of you for attending our annual summer soirée.  While the party is about to come to a close, we save the best event for last… The auction and sex show!”

The guests were cheering loudly.  Apparently this was the highlight for the party.

“We have some amazing products up on the auction block and a spectacular exhibition this evening!  However, the first two products for sale, as well as the show will be a bit different this year…. You have known these two for quite some time, but sadly their servitude to this house has come to an end… Mikako, Makoto… come to the stage, please.”

There was a brief pause, but soon enough both Mikako and her son walked slowly onto the stage.  Both mother and child were wearing gaudy playboy bunny outfits that looked either two sizes too small or two sizes to big.  To Leona it was like they were walking to their executions. It brought back those awful memories of Chris’ demise.

‘ _Oh my god… it’s happening again!’_

The Mistress continued speaking about the “merchandise” for sale.

“Mikako Nonohara is a woman who’s fallen into debt and her pathetic whelp of a husband was unable to pay my family back.  His own wife and child are about to be sold off while he just ran off like the spineless coward he is!”

The crowd started booing towards the man who was supposedly responsible for his family’s fate.  However, Leona didn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe it. There was no way Mr. Nonohara would leave his wife and son like this.  Even though he couldn’t pay back the debt, he wouldn’t be that cowardly! Could he?

The Mistress turned toward Leona who was in the front of the stage.

“Well Leona, you got your answer.  Now come and say goodbye.”

Leona ran onto the stage.  She was shaking with fear and sadness knowing what was going to happen to her friends.  Even though they weren’t going to be killed like what happened to Chris, but being sold off to total strangers and being separated from one another, to Leona is one of the fates worse than death.

She was at a loss at what to say to the downtrodden woman.  She didn’t want to say anything that would make her feel worse.  But, she had a few quick questions.

“Mikako… why?  Why did this happen?”

She gave Leona a sad smile.

“I expected it would… but, please… don’t be sad.  I’m truly thankful for your kindness and friendship these past few days.  You gave me the strength I thought I have lost. I meant what I said that night… You really are my my hero, Leona.  Thank you.”

Makoto began to cry quietly.  Even though he was scared, he was so proud of his mom for gaining back her courage again.  It hurt that he was probably never going to see his only family again. However, he was going to try to be brave for her, just like how Mikako was brave for him.

Leona wrapped them both in a hug.  She didn’t want to let either of them go.  But, the Mistress wasn’t having it. She yawned and grabbed Leona’s wrist.

“That was cute and all, but you are holding up the event here.”

The Mistress pushed Leona off the stage.  She fell on her backside as the people around her just laughed.  She got up and quickly made a beeline for the door. She had to find Klaus because there was no way in hell she was letting anyone else suffer at the Mamiya’s hands again!

When Leona left the room, Mikako gave the Mistress an icy glare.  Considering she’s already won, she figured she’d indulge her ex-employee.

“Is there something you want to say, dear.”

“You may have all these people fooled, Marie… But my husband did NOT abandon us!  You and I both know that you killed him in cold blood…”

The Mistress smirked, “Ran away, got killed… not too different really.  You and your son are still being sold off while you’re late husband is probably fucking the angels in heaven right now.”

“I know that you’re trying to keep me in that same state of despair like you’ve done for years, Marie.  But you know what? That isn’t going to work anymore. Thanks to Leona, I feel more hopeful than I’ve been in a long time.  My son will be sold off, I know that. However, I will find a way to get him back even if it takes the rest of my life!”

The Mistress’ smile didn’t falter.  To her, this little act of bravery Mikako was putting on was cute and that she was no threat.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“One last thing… good luck trying to sell me off, Marie.  As I’ve heard you once say before, no one likes used goods.  I guess you will just have to put up with me a bit longer.”

The Mistress’s eye started to twitch.  The ex maid had a point. She knew that Mikako was not going to be a popular item.  It was all that damn Leona Watch’s fault that Mikako was no longer submissive!

‘ _I should have put that brat on the auction block too!  I need to get rid of that girl somehow… but that will have to wait.  I’m sure if I throw in a free hymen restoration surgery, Mikako will sell for enough to pay back the debt she owes me…”_

 

Klaus has been waiting in the hallway for about thirty minutes.  He felt Leona has been in ballroom for too long and was about to go in to find her.  However, he wouldn’t have to do that, since Leona quickly emerged from the double doors.  He went to Leona’s side and gently grabbed her shoulders.

“Leona!  Are you alright?  What happened in there?”

Leona’s face looked panicked, she honestly had no idea what to say or what to do.  Her co-workers were out of commission and Mikako along with her son were about to be sold off.

“It’s… it’s happening again…”

Klaus kneeled down so he could make eye contact with her.

“What? What’s happening again?”

Leona looked at Klaus with a tear stained, wide eyed stare.

“Mikako and Makoto are going to be sold on the auction block!  It’s going to be Chris all over again!”

Klaus knew that this would be the case.  He wanted to try to help them, but he only had enough money to bring Leona home with him.  However, he thought that they would be able to try and find them once they were done with the case.

“I understand Leona, but I’m sure we can locate Mikako and her son once The Mamiya's have been dealt with.”

Leona was shaking in Klaus’ grip.  She knew that many of the Mamiya’s victims have been sold off to their associates all over the world.  Not only that, many of them died while they were in there new owners care. Even though Mikako and Makoto weren’t beyondians they were still victims who were about to suffer a similar fate.

Leona eyebrows narrowed as she looked at her boyfriend dead straight in the eye.

“Klaus, how long do you think that would take?”

“Huh?” Klaus said with confusion.

“Many of the Mamiya’s victims have already been sent to other associates. A lot of them have been killed or committed suicide because they were too afraid of the fate that laid before them.  If Mikako and Makoto are sold off, who knows how long it would take to find them? These guests here are just as insane as the Mamiya’s! One of them even killed a servant for pumping too many stimulants into them!  If something were to happen to Mikako and her son and we were too late to prevent it…”

Leona didn’t want to think about it anymore, and Klaus didn’t blame her.  She made a lot fair points in her argument. He felt that they should try to help, but his selfish side was getting to him again.

“But, Leona I…”

Klaus let out a sad sigh.  He really wanted to bring her home so badly that it hurt and Leona knew that.  As she brought their foreheads together she placed her hands in his bushy sideburns. She caressed the hairs in between her fingers gently.  

“Klaus, I know you want me to come back to Hellsalem’s Lot with you.  Trust me, there’s nothing that I want more than to wake up next to you and see your sweet sleepy face in the mornings again.  But… The Nonohara's and the victims being held here... they need me. The beyondians being kept here don’t know how long they have left before they can no longer fulfill the Mamiya’s desires.  They need someone to talk to or to just hold their hand so they can have at least an inkling of hope that they’ll survive and I'm the only one who can do it. After Chris died, I realized I can no longer remain complacent.  I have to stay behind and make sure nothing else happens to them. You and Steven can still go to the authorities with the tapes and figure out a game plan to raid the estate.  But first, we have to save the Nonohara’s… Please?”

Klaus was silent for a moment.  He really did want her to come back to Libra with him.  Every morning was agony when he woke up to the empty side of his bed and Leona wasn’t there.  However, she was right. If they left, who knows what horrible things could happen to the Nonohara’s and the beyondians?  So many have died at the hands of the Mamiya’s and they couldn’t let any more fatalities happen again.

Klaus bit his lip then he held Leona close to his chest.

“You’re right… you’re right.  We’ll help them. What do you want me to do, Liebling?

Leona smiled, truly thankful for Klaus understanding how much these people meant to her.

“I need you to participate in the auction.  You can use the money in the other case to bid on Mikako and Makoto.  I’ll even get the money from my room just in case we need more to raise our bid.  The auction is just about to start so we should get them now. Can you wait in the ballroom for me?”

“I can.  Who should I bid on first?”

“You should definitely start with Makoto.  The bun head in the glasses is going to be gunning for Makoto as well, so you need to outbid her.  Mikako probably won’t be going for much, so you can bid on her last.”

“Sounds like a good plan, Leona.  I’ll go get the case from the playroom.”

“Awesome, I’ll go get my pay from my room.  I’ll meet you in there in just a few minutes.  You should tell Mamiya that you’ll be participating.”

“Right, I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Once Leona ran to her room, Klaus headed back to playroom and grabbed the briefcase.  When he stood in front of the double doors, he took a deep breath and headed inside. He was not prepared for what was inside.  The rotten oyster smell immediately assaulted his senses and he couldn’t help but gag. The sights of the numerous naked old men made him feel like his eyes would bleed.  He really wanted to turn back, but Leona was counting on him.

Fortunately, he was able to spot the Mistress in the crowd of melded bodies and he sped walked to her.  He put on his best poker face and tapped her shoulder. She turned around and smiled at his presence.

“Mr. Reinherz!  How are you enjoying the festivities?  Is Leona behaving alright?”

“Yes, yes everything’s fine.” Klaus answered quickly.

“Actually, is it too late to participate in today’s auction?  I’m thinking of purchasing some of the items on display.”

The Mistress continued to smirk as she crossed her arms.  She knew that the Von Reinherz family are an incredibly wealthy family, with each of the children in successful business of their own.  Out of everyone here, he would be more than capable of paying off more than the Nonohara’s debt. She figured if he is going to participate, she might as well squeeze him for what he’s worth.

“Why, Mr. Reinherz, you are always welcome to participate!  You can find the tablets over by the stage. All you have to do is enter your name and the rest is self explanatory.”

“Thank you, Madame.”

“Happy bidding…” the Mistress said as she went to the stage to officially start.

Klaus got his tablet and immediately entered his name.  The Mistress was right, it was easy to follow. All he had to do was press on the upwards facing arrow next to the item he wanted to raise his bid on.  Mikako and Makoto’s name were right there along with some other unimportant items. Both mother and child’s bid started at $10,000. Klaus thought that this would be pretty easy.  He had about, $900,000 in the briefcase so he should be able to buy both Mikako and Makoto.

However, when he looked back at his tablet, the bid on Makoto had already gone up to $50,000!  The number just kept climbing up. Soon it was up to $90,000!

_‘The auction haven’t even started yet!  What gives?!’_

Klaus remembered that Leona told him that the woman with the bun covers would be his rival in bidding for Makoto.  He turned to find the bun head furiously pressing on her tablet. Her companion had the same shocked and confused loo that Klaus had.

“Seriously, Yukari!  The auction hasn’t even started yet and you’re already aiming for Makoto!  He’s not going anywhere you know?”

Yukari just continued to press furiously on the tablet.

“I’m not going to let anyone outbid me!  Makoto is gonna be all mine!”

Klaus was almost too afraid to look at his own tablet to check the current bid.  The bid had gone up to $150,000… This was going to be harder than he thought. But, he wasn’t going to lose to some nympho!  He started pressing the arrow button next to Makoto at mach speed.

Francesca looked at Yukari’s tablet as she continued to place a higher bid on Makoto.  She noticed the the name Klaus Von Reinherz right on Makoto’s bid and the bar just kept rising.  Soon it was caught up to Yukari’s previous bid.

“Uh oh, looks like you’re not the only one who wants Makoto all to yourself.”

Yukari stopped pressing the button to see her rival starting to surpass her bid.  She looked around to see who was also gunning for Makoto. Soon she found out who it was.  It was the big red head whom she thought was gross.

The bun head growled in frustration and continued raising her bid.

“I’m not going to let that fanged freak beat me!”

“Careful girl, you only brought $300,000 dollars with you today.  Plus, Marie is only accepting cash for this auction. You won’t be able to raise your bid any higher than the money you brought with you.”

“Well, can you help me out then?”

“I wasn’t planning on buying anything today.  I’m afraid whatever cash I have won’t be able to help you.”

“Ugh, whatever!  There’s no way that ugly faced freak has more money than me!”

In most cases Klaus’ feelings would be hurt by that comment.  However, he just smirked at them. Those women weren’t exactly quiet in their conversation.  He heard every word, especially the part about Yukari having only $300,000 on her person. Maybe this auction won’t be so bad after all.

The Mistress went on to the stage to officially start the auction and show.

“Well, it would seem we have a few eager beavers here.  In that case let’s not wait any longer! For today’s show our stars will be none other than the Nonohara’s!”

The crowd started to clap and cheer.  Klaus had a bad feeling in his gut about this.  He knew that this isn’t the kind of show with singing, dancing, or instrument playing.

“Since this will probably be that last time that these two will ever see each other, I have decided to give Makoto what he always wanted.  Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the incest sex show of a lifetime! Anyone who paid to see the show up close please come to the stage immediately!”

Klaus immediately threw up in his mouth.  This was disgusting! Forcing a mother and child into this situation was beyond sick and cruel!  He was very, VERY tempted to wreck the whole room apart and just grab the Nonohara’s, find Leona and just get the hell out of there.  But he kept his cool, the best he could do for the time being was to win the Nonohara’s in the auction. After that he would take them to Bradbury General Hospital once they enter the city.  Not only would they need physical attention, they would need a lot of psychological help too.

Before he could go back to his tablet, he noticed the group of men headed towards the stage.  He tried very hard not to look down, but they were everywhere he looked. However, some of the faces in the crowd looked familiar.  He could have sworn he’s seen two of those men before.

“ _Wait… are those men from Precinct 13?”_

 

Meanwhile, Leona ran straight to her bedroom to find Sonic.  Fortunately, he kept his promise and stayed in the room in case she needed his help.  When the door opened Sonic sat at attention to await Leona’s instruction.

“Sonic! You kept your promise, good boy!  Listen, I need you to get the envelope of money that I asked you to hide.  Mikako and Makoto’s lives depend on it.”

With a cute little salute, he immediately sped off to retrieve the envelope.  Leona had to wait a few minutes before Sonic had to return. She was feeling a little anxious since she didn’t want to keep Klaus waiting too long.  But, soon enough Sonic came back with the envelope. She smiled as she took the money from his paws.

“Great!  Now Sonic, all the money is in here right?”

Even though Sonic is known to be a little rascal and sometimes takes things that didn’t belong to him, he knew this money was important to Leona.  He didn’t take a single dollar from that envelope. He nodded his head quickly in response.

Leona patted his head as Thanks.

“Awesome!  I owe you a banana split at the end of the day, buddy!  See you soon!”

She raced down the hall and slide down the staircase railing.  When Leona opened the ballroom doors, she was surprised to find place an inferno.  She recognized the fiery aura that engulfed the ballroom and knew it belonged to Klaus.  However, it looked different than what she was used to. Usually when Klaus was enraged, his aura was the color of fire.  But this time, the flames were of many different colors. Rage was there, but so was sorrow, disgust, fear and confusion. And Leona soon found out why Klaus was feeling this intense blizzard of emotions.

When she turned to the stage, Leona witnessed an act that chilled her down to her very core.  It was an act that mother and child should never, ever commit…. Her friends were forced to perform a depraved sex show in front of all these strangers and they didn’t do a damn thing to help them.  They either laughed at them or used them as a means to pleasure themselves. Leona empathized with Klaus. For the first time, she wished with all her heart that everyone responsible for the Nonohara’s suffering would just drop dead.  Better yet, she wished she could kill them with her own hands and of course the Mamiya’s would be the first to go.

But, as much as she wanted to, her honor wouldn’t let her.  

‘ _It’s not my place to decide whether someone lives or dies.  Besides, even if I ripped each of their throats out, it would still be too kind for the likes of them…’_

She didn’t want to think about anymore.  She just wanted to be by Klaus’ side and help him win the auction.  When Leona found Klaus he was furiously pressing the buttons on his tablet.  Also, his lip was bleeding from biting it too hard. She didn’t want her boyfriend to hurt himself anymore so she held onto his sleeve to alert her presence.

Klaus looked to her and was about to speak, but Without making eye contact she shook her head.

“ _Don’t look at me, just pay attention to your tablet.”_

Klaus was surprised when he heard Leona’s voice inside his head.   _“Leona?  Are you using telepathy?”_

_“Yes, that way we can talk freely without raising suspicion.  How’s the auction so far? Are you doing okay?”_

_“I managed to outbid Ms. Yukari and I managed to get Makoto for about $450,000.  She ended up throwing a big tantrum when she lost. She even threw her tablet on the ground.  Even though I don’t condone tantrums it was pretty priceless.”_

_“Haha, I wish I could’ve seen it!  But, how’s Mikako? Any luck with her yet?”_

_“Well, you were right about Mikako not being the most popular item.  Only a few people have bid about $100,00 dollars on her. The Mistress isn’t at all happy with the numbers.  I’ve already bid about $400,000 dollars on her so far but she still isn’t satisfied.”_

Leona discreetly placed the envelope in Klaus’ pocket.

“ _There’s eighty grand in that envelope.  I’m positive that if you bid $530,000 on Mikako, the Mistress will give her to you._

_“Alright, I trust your judgement.”_

Klaus went with Leona’s advice and placed everything on the table for Mikako.  The Mistress looked at the flat screen and was quite pleased with the numbers for Mikako.

“$530,000 for Mikako Nonohara!  Going once! Going twice… Sold! It would seem that Mr. Reinherz will be getting a matching set today!  Congratulations!”

Even though she was semi disappointed that the Nonohara’s wouldn’t be separated, this was still a successful party.  Not only did she get $900,000 from Klaus renting Leona for the party, she also got $980,000 for the auction! It was clear as day that, that man had money pouring out of his ears.  Perhaps, Klaus Von Reinherz would be the key to getting rid for Leona after all. She walked off the stage and went towards Klaus.

“Bravo, Mr. Reinherz, bravo!  You truly are quite the big spender today.  Now that the Nonohara’s belong to you, do you have any requests for any altercations.  Thanks to your generous donation I’m willing to throw in a free hymen restoration surgery for Mikako, and I’m even willing to do some hormonal therapy sessions for Makoto so he can become a doll that will suit your tastes.”

Klaus looked at her with a blank expression.  He was no longer amused with her antics anymore. He just wanted to leave the ballroom as quickly as possible.

“That won’t be necessary, Lady Mamiya.  From now on, I’ll be seeing to their medical needs.  Now if you’ll excuse me I need to get your money ready for you.  Plus, I’m feeling weary and would like to rest in the playroom until the party’s end.”

“Very well, Mr Reinherz.  I’ll see you in an hour.”

Klaus nodded his and took the briefcase and headed straight for the door.

“Leona, come!”

“Y-yes sir!”

Leona followed him out of the room.  They quickly went back to the playroom and Klaus collapsed on the bed.  He was clearly exhausted from everything that went down in the ballroom.  Leona sat down next to him and caressed his hair in comfort.

“Klaus, are you okay?”

Klaus took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Good god, that was a nightmare… forcing a mother and her son to do…. Ugh… that!  I don’t know how these people live with themselves… I really don’t.”

Leona understood his frustration since she had to put up with the Mamiya’s for two weeks.  She continued running her fingers through his red locks.

“I know… but still, I’m really happy you did this for me.  I think it’s about time something finally goes right for the Nonohara’s.  It will take some time for them to recover from all this, but I know their lives will be a lot better than what it’s been.”

Klaus put his glasses back on and gave Leona a melancholy smile.

“You’re right, my love.  I’m glad I went through with the auction.  Mikako and her son have suffered long enough!  I promise, we’ll do everything we can help them settle in the city.  Once they’re out of the hospital we’ll assist them in getting good jobs and proper living accommodations.”

Leona laid her head on his chest.  She was also feeling the exhaustion get to her.

“Thank you, Klaus.  They’re good people and they need to have friends in there corner now more than ever.  I’ll also do my part to help them adjust too.”

Klaus kisses the crown of her head.

“You’re a wonderful person, Leona.  Mikako’s really lucky to have a friend like you.”

The stayed on the bed for a little while longer, but then Klaus remembered something.  The two distinct men on the stage were still on his mind. He knew they were from Hellsalem’s Lot and were from the HLPD but he just wasn’t sure.  He needed Leona’s opinion on this.

He shot up from the bed.  Leona got up from his chest, confused from the spontaneous movement.

“Klaus?”

“Leona, there were these two men on the stage.  Both of them were of medium build, and were in their mid-thirties.  One of them had a beauty mark on his lower lip, had blonde hair, and a stubble.  The other had freckles, a bit heavy around his midsection, and had short brown hair.  Are they familiar to you. I feel like I’ve seen them before but I’m not sure.”

Leona was silent for a while.  Because of the disgusting display taking place, she had a hard time looking at the stage.  However, she did take more than just a few glances. She did notice the men that Klaus described.  In fact, they were more than just familiar to her. Since she spent a lot of time at the police station because of her photography job, she interacted with these guys a few times.  Usually, they were guarding the entrance to Ghetto Heights. The other times they were working with Detective Daniel Law!

“Actually, yes!  Those guys you mentioned.  They’re policemen working at precinct thirteen.  And they work directly under Detective Law. However, there’s no way he would have known that hey were into... stuff like this.  Not only that, this was an ultra exclusive party.  They wouldn't have gotten in on there own, unless…”

Klaus’ eyes widened at the realization.

“Unless they’ve been given special access, thanks to a certain associate of the Mamiya’s!  And I think I’m beginning to know who it is.”

“Same, but there’s a slight problem.  Without any evidence of these guys being here, the associate will just think you’re bluffing.”

Klaus smiled.  Leona wasn’t the only one who was allowed to have fun with Libra’s spy gadgets.

“And that my dear, is the reason why I wore these instead of my usual glasses.”

Leona laughed and hugged Klaus’ neck.

“I can't believe we’re really bringing this case to close!  The Mamiya’s thought that they’d be able to outrun the law, but not this time!”

As happy as she was, she was still pretty sad she couldn’t go home right away.

“I wish I could go back with you and the Nonohara’s.  How are you gonna do the raid when the two days are finally up?”

“Don’t worry, mein herz.  We made it this far. We’ll think of something.  But for now, let’s take care of the Nonohara’s, and expose the associate.”

Leona nodded her head and embraced him.  Even though she wanted to go home, she knew she’ll be okay for the last two days of her mission.  She’ll be ready for action if the Mamiya’s tried anything funny. And thanks to her time with Klaus her battery was charged enough for her to stay sane until she returned back Hellsalem’s Lot.

 

The party officially ended at around seven.  All the guests filed out to their luxury cars and limousines and headed home.  A few lingered to give their thanks to the hostess for a great party. Klaus did have to deal with Yukari’s haggling for Makoto but he flat out rejected her.  She stomped out of the mansion to her car while Francesca placed her phone number in Klaus’ breast pocket before leaving with her friend. Not that it did anything for him, he just tossed it on the ground.

Leona couldn’t see him off in the lobby.  She along with rest of the available servants had to clean up the ballroom and take care of the leftovers once the party ended.  Fortunately, they did say their goodbyes while they were in the playroom. But, he still wished he could give her another hug one more time before he and the Nonohara's took off for Hellsalem's Lot.

As for the Nonohara’s, Mikako was sitting on the lobby couch.  Her son was unconscious in her arms. The poor boy was completely wiped out from that awful sex show. It would be awhile before he woke up again.  At least both of them would be treated at Bradbury General Hospital. Dr. Estevez would take good care of them there.

The Mistress went to talk to Klaus while he waited for his ride.

“I really hoped you had a great time today, Mr. Reinherz.  Considering you had Leona all to yourself and you struck big at the auction, I guessing you had a pretty productive afternoon.”

Klaus extended his hand to her in thanks.

“I had a marvelous time, Lady Mamiya.  You really know how to throw a great party.”

“Hahaha! I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.  Also, how did you fair with Leona today?”

“I must admit, that sweet Leona has completely stolen my heart. She was a little hesitant at first, but she soon came around.  I do wish I could take her home with me, but I spent every scrap of cash I had on me today and I've left my checkbook at home.”

The Mistress smirked.  She finally found a solution to her little Leona problem.

“Really now, you like her that much?  Hmmmm… tell you what, in a few days I’ll send you an email.  I’m sure we can come up up with a little... arrangement.”

Klaus shook her hand in agreement.  He was worried about finding a way to raid the mansion, but the Mistress gave him a really great opening.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.  Well, my ride's here and I don’t want to keep him waiting any longer.  Again, thank you very much, Madame.”

Once the two finished their goodbyes, Klaus had Mikako follow him to his car while he carried the unconscious Makoto for her.

Gilbert was waiting in front of the car.  He was ready to welcome Leona back, but he was not prepared for what he saw.

“Uh, Master Klaus… where’s Ms. Leona?”

“There’s been a change of plans, Gilbert.  We can speak about this later, but for now we need to get Mrs. Nonohara and her son to Bradbury General Hospital immediately.”

Gilbert didn’t question him.  He got in the car and started it while the trio got settled in.  Once the gate opened up, Gilbert sped the car down the mountain and straight to Hellsalem’s Lot.

Mikako on the other hand was very confused at what was happening.  How did these people know Leona? Even though she was scared to question her new master, she had to know what was going on.

“I’m sorry but, how does that gentleman know Leona’s name?  And who is she to you?”

Klaus put a hand on his heart and bowed to her.

“Mrs. Nonohara, please allow me to properly introduce myself.  My name is Klaus Von Reinherz and I’m the leader of Libra.”

“Libra?  I’m sorry but I don’t understand?”

“Libra is a secret society whose mission is to preserve the justice and balance between the human and alter words in Hellsalem’s Lot.  Leona is one of the many members of our organization as well as my lover.”

Mikako’s eyes opened wide.  She knew that her friend was hiding something, but she never expected her to be an agent for a secret society like in the movies!

Klaus continued his explanation.

“Leona was sent to the Mamiya estate in order to find the beyondians that have gone missing from the city for over a year and a half.  Since she had to work undercover there was a lot of secrets she had to keep from you. I hope you won’t hold that against her.”

“Oh no, I understand!  My head is still reeling from all of this but, at least now I know why she didn’t really talk about herself.  But, your driver was expecting Leona, not me and Makoto. Was she supposed to go home with you tonight?”

“At first yes, she managed to get enough evidence of the beyondians whereabouts, so we thought it was best she finally came home.  However, that all changed when you and your son were put on the auction block. Leona didn’t want to see you suffer the same fate that happened to Chris and neither did I.  Actually, I am truly grateful to you, Mrs. Nonohara for your kindness towards Leona. Out of everyone everyone in the mansion, you were her only friend and ally. And anyone who is a friend of Leona is a friend to Libra.”

Mikako couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  This all seemed like a dream to her.  After all those years of suffering, she and her son were finally being saved from that hellish nightmare!  She thought she would never live to see the day when she and her boy would be free from the Mamiya's clutches.

"Mikako, I know of the hardships you your son have faced.  What the Mamiya’s did to you and your family was truly despicable and unforgivable.  However, you managed to survive and you still have your son by your side.  You really are a very strong and remarkable woman, Ma'am.  I only regret that we couldn’t save your husband in time.  But even so, we are all willing to help you and Makoto adjust to a life in Hellsalem’s Lot. But first, we need to send you both to Bradbury General for physical and mental treatment.  I know that this is a big change for you two, and that it'll be difficult to adapt at first. But Libra will be in your corner every step of the way.”

Mikako was speechless.  She was completely overwhelmed with everything that’s happened that day.  She thought for sure she was going to be separated from her son forever. But, Leona and Klaus helped them get out of that never ending nightmare!  She had no idea how to repay their kindness. But in time she would figure it out.

She held her son’s head close to her chest as a few tears started to break free.

“Leona… she did all of this for me.  She was willing to let me go to Hellsalem’s Lot in her place, even though she didn’t have to.  She… she didn’t just save me, she saved my boy, as well! You both did! I never thought I’d ever escape the life of a servant.  It feels like I've finally woken up from a horrible dream that seemed impossible to escape.  I don’t know how I’ll ever repay her, but I promise I will… thank you… thank you, thank you!”

She continued to cry as she held her baby boy in her arms.  Klaus felt a lump in his throat. These two have been through so much suffering and heartache.  It’s about time they got their happily ever after.

He took his handkerchief from his breast pocket and offered it to Mikako in friendship.

“You’re welcome, Mikako.”

The rest of the ride was silent as they made the three hour trip back to Hellsalem’s Lot.  Klaus knew he was going to get an earful from Steven when he went back to HQ, but he didn’t care.  The Nonohara’s were safe and his Leona was going to be okay, that’s all that mattered.

 

Once the servants were finished, Leona made a banana split for Sonic.  Once she, Yukito, and Sachie were done cleaning the ballroom they were allowed to eat the leftovers for their dinner.  Sachie wasn’t going to complain, but after the day Yukito and Leona had, they declined. Neither of them had the stomach to eat anything because of how gross the party was.

For once, Sachie decided to do her fair share and take care of the leftovers while the other two did their own thing.  Poor Yuuna was still unconscious, so Yukito decided to take responsibility for cleaning her up and comforting her afterwards.  As for Leona she was making Sonic’s treat that she promised him.

After that Leona took the sundae to her room, where Sonic was patiently waiting for her.  Once he saw the sweet treat he jumped up and down on the bed with joy while happily hooting.

“Haha!  Here you go buddy, dig in.”

As Sonic tucked in to his dessert, Leona got ready for bed.  She was so tired she didn’t even want to take bath. She couldn’t wait to just jump into bed and have a peaceful night’s sleep for once.  At least she’ll be able to sleep that night, knowing that Mikako and Makoto will be in good hands. And thanks to her day speant with Klaus she had the strength to face the last days of her mission.

Sonic had quickly finished his banana split and had soon fallen asleep with a full belly.  Leona put the dish on the desk and decided to take care of it in the morning. Now that she thought about it, since Mikako wouldn’t be there to make breakfast, it would be up to Yuuna since she was the new replacement cook.  Well, temporarily at least.  However, Leona doubted Yuuna would be up for making breakfast in the morning so, she decided to take care of breakfast duty in the morning. She could whip up some French toast and scrambled eggs for everyone.

Leona yawned as the exhaustion of the day was catching up to her.  She carried the bloated mach monkey to her pillow and got under the covers.  She slowly closed her eyes. No longer expecting a restless sleep, but sweet dreams.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooray for filler chapters!!! Said no one ever! Sorry if I butchered the game of eight ball for. Anyone who knows how to play the game! I went onto Wikihow to learn how to play. XD

Leona woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning after the party.  In most cases, she probably would have still felt dead tired from the events and slept the day away if she had a choice.  However, after a great night’s sleep knowing that the Nonohara’s were in good hands and was no longer sexually frustrated, she felt as fresh as a daisy!  Even though she was still in the Mamiya’s mansion, she had a feeling it was going to be good day.

Leona wasn’t the only one who had a good night’s sleep.  Sonic woke up bright and early just like his Mistress! It was pretty rare for him since he wasn’t exactly an early riser.  But Leona figured after having that sweet sundae, he would wake up all happy and energetic.

“Well, good morning sunshine!  I guess I wasn’t the only one who had a nice sleep.”

Sonic hooted and went to nuzzle Leona’s neck.

“Hahahaha!  Okay, okay! I have to go help make breakfast.  I’ll come back and give you some leftovers.”

Leona washed up, got dressed and headed down to the kitchen.  She didn’t see any of her co-workers while she was in the hallway.  Not that it was a surprise, really. She was up earlier than usual since she decided to help prepare the morning meal.  Technically it was Yuuna’s job since she was the new cook for the next few days. However, after what happened to her at the party she probably wouldn’t want to leave her room.  Leona wouldn’t blame her if she did since she probably would have done the same thing in her situation.

Even though Leona wasn’t a five star chef like Mikako, she figured she could still make something good for breakfast.  Some French toast, eggs, and maybe some bacon would be more than adequate. It would even be good enough to suit the Mamiya’s so-called “sophisticated” palettes.

When Leona got to the kitchen, she was surprised to find Yuuna hard at work stirring her batter.  She didn’t even looked tired, which was pretty surprising. Yuuna was alerted by Leona’s presence in front of the kitchen door.  She gave her a friendly smile and continued stirring.

“Good morning, Leo!  You’re up early this morning.”

As surprised as Leona was by Yuuna’s sunny disposition, she was also rather concerned.  The image of her friend on that filthy mattress came flooding back. Leona was worried that Yuuna was probably keeping her feelings inside and was just putting on a brave face.  She had to know if Yuuna was really okay.

“Morning, Yuuna.  I’m kind of surprised you’re cooking breakfast for everyone.  After… Well, everything that happened yesterday... I thought you wouldn’t be up for it?”

Yuuna just kept smiling at Leona while she continued stirring her batter.  To Leona that smile looked forced.

“Eh, it’s not like I have the option to sleep in.  Since I’m the Mamiya’s temporary cook, I have to take care of the meals for the next few days.  No rest for the wicked I guess.”

Leona nodded slowly.  She felt that Yuuna was just making excuses just so she wouldn’t make the Mistress angry.  However, she still decided to help make breakfast since she was in the kitchen anyway.

“I see,  but since I’m here, how about I help with breakfast?  I could fry up some bacon and eggs?”

“Sure, I could use the help.  I’m making some pancakes today so I could use some assistance with the more savory sides.”

Leona grabbed a big pan from on of the cabinets and started pre-heating it.  While she got to work frying the eggs and bacon and Yuuna began flipping the pancakes, the silence was becoming rather palpable.  Leona could no longer stand the awkwardness. Even though Yuuna wouldn’t want to to talk about what happened at the party, she needed to make sure her co-worker was okay.

“Hey Yuuna, are you sure you’re okay?  I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, but I’m here if you need to get something off your chest.  You know that, right?”

As Yuuna places the first few pancakes on the platter, she let out a deep sigh.

“I do, and I’m glad that you’re concerned for my well being, but I’m fine, really.  But, I have to admit, when I woke up I felt so ashamed and disgusting that I really thought that Yukito would no longer want me to be his girlfriend.  There were a lot of tears… and vomit. But, through all of it Yukito stayed by my side and he didn’t think less of me one bit for the events that took place at the party.”

Leona was surprised.  Not only did Yukito helped Yuuna clean her up, but they also dealt with the after party drama.  He was even did a great job in comforting her. Leona was sure she would be miserable the next morning, but thanks to her boyfriend she was feeling better than expected.

“Oh!  Wow, Yukito was really on top of things last night.  I’m really glad you’re doing okay.”

“Thanks but, um… the big question is, are you okay?  Yukito told me about the auction and that Mikako and and Yuuna were sold off.  I know how close you and Mikako had become over these past few weeks… do you wanna talk about it?”

Leona was touched by Yuuna’s concern for her.  If Klaus hadn’t been there and The Nonohara’s had been sold to any of those monsters at the party, she had no idea what she would have done.

“I appreciate that you’re worried, but I’m okay.  Fortunately, Mikako and Makoto were bought together by the man I was with yesterday, so they won’t be separated.  Besides, I have a feeling they’re going to be alright. Call it a hunch if you will.”

“I see… and the man whom you spent with… he didn’t hurt you did he?”

“Not at all.  Despite his brutish exterior, he was quite the gentleman.  Unlike the Mamiya’s he doesn’t abuse his toys to the point of breaking them.”

Yuuna let out a sigh of relief.  At least one of her co-workers did okay during the party from hell.

“That’s good, I thought all of the family’s associates were monsters.  I guess he was the only exception.”

“Yeah, but I wish you guys didn’t have to go through all that crap yesterday.  Apparently, the Mistress’ friends did a number on Yukito.”

“I know, he told me last night.  I’ll be so glad when we get out of here.”

“Just a few days more, Yuuna.  Try to hang in there till then, okay.”

“Of course, at least I’ll be able to see my brother again after this!”

“That’s good to hear.  I’ve been getting pretty homesick, so it’ll be great to go back to Hellsalem’s Lot once I’m done here.”

“We should keep in touch, once we go our separate ways.  Do you have a Famebook account?”

“I do!  I’ll even give you my cell number.”

The two women continued talking over their breakfast preparations.  They were both glad that they were doing fine after the party, and were doing their best to move past the events.  Leona still wondered how Libra will be able to raid the estate after the week is up, but she knew they would think of something.

 

When the girls finished cooking the breakfast, they went into the dining room where Yukito and the Mistress were already seated at the table.  Leona guessed that her kids were probably sleeping in and Sachie was probably smoking out in the garden, again. The Mistress smile at the two as the food was brought in.

“Good morning, ladies!  Mmm that smells heavenly.  I take it we’ll be having a traditional country style breakfast today?”

Yuuna smiled back as the two placed the dishes on the table.

“Yes, Ma’am.  I’ve made pancakes along with a spring mix salad and Leona fried the bacon and eggs.”

“This looks great, guys!  You really outdid yourselves.” Said Yukito as he was practically drooling at the smell of the extra thick cut bacon.

“It all looks delicious!  Now let’s not keep our appetites waiting, please sit.”

As Leona and Yuuna sat down to eat, the Mistress made her morning announcement.

“I was quite pleased with everyone’s performance at yesterday’s party and guests were also very satisfied.  To reward you all for a successful day, I’m giving you all the day off! After breakfast, you are all free to do as you wish.  However, Yuuna we still need you to prepare dinner for tonight, I hope that’s okay?”

“Of course!  That won’t be an issue.”  She said with no objections.

Since Yuuna would be the one handling the evening meal on her own, she thought it was only fair to help her out.

“I can assist with the he dessert preparation for tonight, as well.”

“Excellent!  I hope you all enjoy this time off.  Now, let’s eat!”

The four of them happily dig into their food.  The three servants were especially excited for their day off.  Leona was thinking of spending the day with Sonic. Perhaps the two of them could raid the fridge while they were at it?  the day was theirs to command and the possibilities were endless! After the rough day they had at the party, they all deserved to have some fun of their own.

Yukito and Yuuna were anxious to start their day off, so they shoveled their breakfast down and headed out.  Leona and the Mistress were the only ones left in the dining room. The Lady of the house was sipping her coffee once she finished her meal.  Leona had finished her food and was on the move to take care of the dishes. But, before she could pick up the plates the Mistress wanted to speak with her.

“So Leona, how did you fair with Mr. Reinherz yesterday?  He told me he was quite smitten with you, so I should assume there wasn’t any trouble.”

Leona wanted nothing more than to gush about her boyfriend.  However, in the Mistress’ eyes she was only a temporary companion for him.  So she tried as hard as she could to stay professional.

“He was very agreeable, Ma’am.  Actually, he was nicer than he appeared.”

The Mistress smirked.  She thought Leona would dislike him but she was being quite complacent.

_‘I guess he wasn’t bluffing about his methods after all.”_

“I see… he also told me he wished to take you home with him.  If he were to offer you a job, would you take it?”

Leona was silent for a bit to ponder her answer.  But she soon gave it with no objections.

“I… I guess I wouldn’t mind.  But, I really do need to get back to the city once I’m finished here.  Why do you ask?”

The Mistress stood up from her chair once she was done from her coffee.  She simply smiled and said,

“Oh, no reason… I was just curious.”

And just like that she left the dining room to retreat to her office.  Leona was kind of curious herself by what she meant, but she decided to worry about that later.  She wanted to get the dishes done so she could officially start her day off.

 

Sonic was woken out of his mid-morning nap to the sound of the door opening.  Leona came into the room with a bright smile on her face. He was curious what made her so happy.  The little mach monkey would soon find out when she lifted him her up in the air and spun him around.

“I’ve got good news little buddy!  We’ve been given the day off!”

Sonic’s bulgy eyes widened when Leona said the words “day off”. He didn’t have to wait around all day for her to return!

“Hoot hoot!”

He jumped to Leona’s chest and climbed to her neck to nuzzle it.

“Hehehe!  Stop, that tickles!  Okay, okay. So, what do you want to do today?  We can do whatever you want.”

Sonic hooted in amazement.  Whenever she had the day off and she wasn’t with Klaus, he always looks forward to his Leo time whenever they got the chance.  Don’t get him wrong, he was really happy for Leona and Klaus. However, he loved when he got his alone time with his best buddy and he cherished every moment he could be alone with her.  Honestly, he didn’t care what they did as long as they were together.

Sonic shook his head and just hugged her chest.  Leona knew very well by what he meant.

“Awww!  Okay, how about a walk around the garden, followed by some epic fridge raiding and we end the day with a nice hot bath.  Does that sound good to you?”

Sonic nodded his head enthusiastically.  That sounded like a good day to him.

“Awesome!  And since today is a day off…”

Leona took off her headband and untied her hair ribbon.  She shook out her long mane and let it down in all her poofy and unruly glory.

“You can hid out in my hair while we walk about the estate.”

When Leona gave the go head, Sonic didn’t hesitate to jump into her pretty red brown hair.

“You cozy in there, buddy?”

His little head popped out from the thick strands and he nodded that he was ready to go.

“To the garden!”

As Leona and Sonic made their way down the hall, she heard voices coming from the game room.  Marika, Sachie and Yukito were in there having a pretty intense conversation. Judging by how harsh Yukito’s tone was, he clearly wasn’t happy.

“Seriously?!  Sachie, I gave you twenty thousand dollars from my pay out of the goodness of my heart and you blew it on a game of pool with Marika?!”

Leona wasn’t at all surprised Sachie was at fault.  She knew that woman had a very severe gambling addiction, and was pathetic enough to swindle money from anybody just so she could play again.  And it was all for a desperate attempt to try to win a game she clearly sucked at. If anything, Leona was more surprised that Yukito was suckered by her pitiful groveling for more cash.

Leona thought that she should ignore them since it wasn’t really her problem.  But, since Yukito was suckered into giving $20,000 to Sachie, she was worried that Yukito would give into Sachie’s whims again.  She felt an intervention was in order.

“Sorry Sonic, but I think Yukito is gonna need my help.”

Sonic wasn’t really a fan of the dark haired boy since he spent the first week being a big bully to his best friend.  However, he knew her good natured personality wanted to help him, even though he got into that situation himself. The little monkey let out a sighed hoot, telling her to go ahead, then went into hiding through her thick mane.

Marika, Sachie and Yukito were alerted by Leona’s arrival when she opened the door.

“Hey, what’s going on in here?” Leona asked.

Yukito let out an annoyed huff as he explained his plight to her.

“Ugh! This penny pinching bitch just blew all the money I lent her!  Twenty fucking thousand, Leona! I mean seriously, how could you lose all of that in a measly game of eight ball?!”

Sachie was just picking the wax out of her ear as the hapless young man went about his rant.  Leona thought she really shouldn’t act this relaxed. This girl had a debt as large as her breasts and she was acting like this didn’t affect her.  She felt that if she ran a bank she would have instantly denied Sachie any loans long ago. Then again, she may have tried!

Marika on the other hand, was just listening in with an amused grin on her face.  She thought it was funny that these servants were fighting over a mere twenty grand.  Leona peeked at Marika’s expression and it was seriously pissing her off. $20,000 may have seemed like chump change to her, but it meant a lot to Yukito.  And if Leona didn’t do something, he was going to lose more of his pay because he’s too weak-willed to say no.

Leona looked at the eldest daughter with a steely glare. “Lady Marika, do you intend to play a second game today?”

The fair skinned woman smirked at her question.  “Of course, but do you know how to play eight ball?”

Leona wasn’t a stranger to the game.  When she went out hunting on her own, she frequented a few pool halls in the city.  One of the patrons was even kind enough to teach her how to play. As it turned out, she became pretty good when it came to casual eight ball.  She even managed to kick Zapp’s ass when they hung out at his favorite hall. It was all thanks to her all-seeing-eyes she was able to tell with which ball she needed to pocket. While her trick wasn’t always one-hundred percent accurate it still gave her a better chance at winning.  She figured she could win a casual game against Marika, easy peasy.

“I’m good at casual eight ball, would you be willing to play that?” Leona asked.

Marika, narrowed her eyes as she licked her lips.  “Certainly, and what do you plan on betting?”

“I’m betting on the $20,000 that Sachie blew on your last game.  If I win you have to pay Yukito every cent you took.”

“That sound fair… but what will you give me if I win?”

Leona started to sweat, she hadn’t thought of what to give her if she couldn’t win Yukito’s pay back!  She gave all of her pay to Klaus so he could win the auction at the party. She was coming up blank on what Marika’s prize would be.

“I’m afraid I don’t have any money to give you if I lose.  You see, Since Mr. Von Reinherz was so good to me yesterday, I offered to help him win Mikako and Makoto at the auction.  He told me he’d pay me back as soon as my job here was finished.”

Marika blushed as she smirked seductively.  “I see, that really is a shame. However, I do know of a way you can compensate me if you should happen to lose…”

Leona had a bad feeling about this.  “And, what would that be, Miss?”

Marika placed her pool cue on the table and came up to the petite maid as she stroked her backside.

“It’s a pity your virginity has already been taken… I’m sure if I was your first, I could have sent you straight to heaven with my skills… But, I’m sure your current boyfriend hasn’t even dared to claim your black cherry yet, has he?”

Leona gulped, she had an idea of what she was talking about, but hoped she was wrong.

“B-black cherry?” She stuttered.

The eldest chuckled as she whispered in her ear. “Fufufu… you know, A.N.A.L.”

The little blood breed turned pale as a ghost.  She and Klaus never even dared to try anal sex before.  Even though she could take in his full length vaginally with no problems, the thought of him penetrating her in that particular area was a definite no, no.  While Klaus was open to an occasional prostate massage, that was all they did anal wise. Anything other than the massage was completely off the table. Now that Marika said she wanted to have anal sex with Leona if she lost, she began to have second thoughts if she should even consider playing the game.  Marika was very intelligent and she knew how to win at any game. Even though Leona’s eyes gave her the different odds of a game’s outcome, they still didn’t always guarantee her a win.

Would it really be worth it?  Afterall, this was the guy who bullied her out of petty jealousy.  Even though he claimed that he was doing so to protect Yuuna, even if his actions were misguided.  Not only that, it was his fault that he decided to loan Sachie that money, even though deep down he knew she would lose all of it.  Maybe it wasn’t worth playing the game after all?

However, before Leona could make her decision, Yukito stepped in.

“Wait!  Instead of Leona, you can have anal sex with me if she loses.”

Both women were shocked by his declaration.  Leona was about to object but Marika was all for it.

“Ooh, that’s even better!  Okay, I’m all for it. Well Leona, what do you say?”

Leona was very reluctant to agree to Marika’s terms.  She really didn’t want Yukito to get hurt if she lost.

“Yukito, you don’t have to do this.” Leona said.

He just gave her a comforting smile.  “I’ll be okay, besides it won’t be so bad.  Think of it as my atonement for being a complete jackass to you.”

Leona sighed.  “I’d rather you just get a slap on the wrist.”

“It’ll be fine.  It was my mistake to even give Sachie that money despite knowing she would just lose it, so i’ll be learning my lesson not to do it again.”

“Umm, hello I’m right here!” Sachie complained.

“Shut up, Sachie!” They two servants yelled.

Leona was still against Yukito’s offer, she was rather touched he still wanted to make up for his behavior.  Even if this wasn’t the type of atonement she wanted for him. But, with a heavy sigh she turned to Marika and held out her hand.

“Okay, deal.”

Marika smirked as she shook the petite maid’s hand.  “Alright, you can pick a cue over on the wall near the dart board.  Once i’ve set up the balls and you’ve chalked up your cue point, we can get started.”

The blood breed nodded as she went to go pick up her pool cue.  After taking good look at all of them, she decided to go with the one on the far right.  Out of all of them, it was nice and straight so it would increase her chances of winning.  She took the chalking cube and rubbed it on the point. The balls were all set and when Mariika removed the triangle they were ready to play.

“Since I’m a gentlewoman you can go first, Leona.”

Leona got into position at the south end of the table.  She knew how much force she would need in order to get a good number of balls in the pockets without getting a scratch.  Once she got a good aim on the cue ball, all the object balls scattered with three of the balls getting pocketed. Fortunately the cue wasn’t one of them.

Marika observed with interest.  She was quite impressed Leona managed to get three balls in the pockets.

“Hmm, nicely done.  You managed pocket two striped balls and one solid.  You are free to choose which of the object balls you wish to pocket.”

In a scenario like this, most players would have gone for the striped balls, since two have already been pocketed.  However, Leona knew better than that. She observed the different balls that were scattered across the table, and she noticed that the solid colors were closest to some of the pockets.  She knew she could easily pocket the solids and still have a lead over Marika.

“I’m solids!” Leona declared.

She noticed Marika’s eye start to twitch.  The eldest daughter thought that Leona would surely go for the striped balls simply because she would have a two point lead, but would have a more difficult time getting the rest of the balls in.  It was clear as day that Leona was not a novice to this game. Soon enough she was able to get three more of her solids pocketed and was three balls away from the eight ball. However, she got too cocky and accidently missed the pocket on her fifth ball.

Marika chuckled as the ball missed the pocket.  She knew that Leona was starting to get a little too confident as well.  This was going to be a cake walk. The eldest was worried at first, but she knew that Leona would slip up.  Besides this was her game and she never lost once.

“Looks like it’s my turn.” Marika said casually.

Leona felt her hopes of winning dash before her eyes.  Soon enough Marika was just one object ball away from getting the eight ball.  She couldn’t bear to watch Marika win, so she just shut her eyes tight as she awaited her defeat.  However, she felt a tiny gust of wind flow between her hair. It was so small that it could barely be felt, but her vampiric sensitivity was able to pick up on the gust.  Marika let out a gasp and yelled in disbelief at what happened.

“What!?  How did- I- what the hell happened!  I was sure that ball would be able to get into that pocket easily, but it missed!”

Sachie and Yukito also stared at the stripped ball with wide eyed confusion.

“Yeah, Lady Marika could have easily gotten that ball in, but it just swerved to the side… weird.”

“Maybe it was a draft?  The balcony door is open afterall, so maybe a breeze may have moved it?” asked Yukito.

Marika was getting annoyed with their guesses and comments.  “Don’t be ridiculous! A slight breeze couldn’t have been able to move the ball and on top of that I didn’t even feel a breeze come in from the balcony.  Hmph, maybe my aim was just off… well Leona, it’s your turn.”

Leona was still in shock over what just transpired.  Her eyes were closed so she didn’t see what happened.  However, that little gust of wind she felt in between her hair made her realize that maybe Sonic had something to do with the movement of the ball.  It made sense why everyone in the room was so bewildered at the ball missing the pocket even though it could have easily gotten in. Since sonic speed monkeys are so fast they can’t be seen with human eyes.  Leona has been with Sonic for a while and had the ability to see him while he moves. Sometimes tends to forget the fact that huma are unable able to see the little guy while he’s on the move.

Even though Leona was a woman who believed in playing a fair game, she was secretly grateful to Sonic for helping her out.  In all honesty, the Mamiya’s have been cheating at life so she figured cheating a game of pool against Marika wouldn’t do anyone any harm.  If anything Marika’s pride would be the only thing that got hurt and Leona was fine with that. She moved into position to get the rest of her solids pocketed and this time she wouldn’t act so cocky.  Thanks to her new accurate game play, she was able to get the last of her three balls in the pockets. Marika was gripping her pool cue so hard it looked like she was about to snap it in half. All Leona had to do was to get the eight ball into one of the pockets and she would win the game.

She took a moment to see which pocket the ball would most likely go in.  While it looked like the eight ball would go into the left corner pocket since it was the closest, it was at an odd angle where Leona would have a difficult time getting it in.  If she dared to try to get it in that pocket there would no doubt it would just hit the side of the table and Marika would get a turn. Even though she knew that Sonic would try to pull that stunt again like with Marika’s last turn, Leona felt it would only make everyone suspicious.  This time, she wanted to play this fair and square. The right corner pocket would no doubt be her best shot. She was at a good angle where she would easily get it in.

Leona decided to make the call. “Eight ball, right corner pocket.”

With a push of her cue, Leona was able to get the ball in with ease.  She had won the game. Sachie and Yukito ran up to Leona to give her a victory group hug.

“YAHOO!!! I can’t believe you won!  You totally have to teach me how you beat her!”

“Wow!  You literally just saved my ass, Leo!  I definitely owe you big time.”

Leona smiled at the compliments her co-workers were giving her.  This was definitely an intense game, even if it was casual eight ball.  Marika looked like she was about to bust an artery. However, being that she didn’t want follow Marisa’s example of being a sore loser, she swallowed her pride and gave Leona her congratulations. She clapped slowly and walked over to her rival.

“I have to say, I’m thoroughly impressed.  It would seem you are no amature when it comes to this game, Leona.”

The petite maid rubbed her neck, embarrassed by her flattery. “Well, it was only a game of casual eight ball.  If we were playing the formal version, I’m certain you would have had me beat.”

Marika took Leona’s hand and gave her the money that Sachie lost.

“Probably, but it would seem I still have plenty to learn.  Until next time, Leona.”

And with that the three servants left the game room.  

“Wow! Now that was intense!  Not only did you save Yukito from being Marika’s personal plaything, you manage to get all of his money back.  Speaking of which, Yukito do you think you could-”

“NO!” the two servants yelled.

“Geez, fine.  Well, all that excitement has got me craving a cigarette.  You guys wanna come with?”

“I think, we’re just gonna go grab some lunch instead.  Catch you later, Sachie.”

As Sachie went to the courtyard to smoke, Leona and Yukito went to the kitchen to join Yuuna for their afternoon meal.  Yukito was still reeling from that game. He was sure that Marika would have beaten Leona if it wasn’t for that trick with the ball.  He knew by then that she isn’t the type of person who would cheat. However, that was still pretty weird and he wondered if Leona may have done something just she would protect him.  Yukito figured it would be okay to ask while they had their lunch.

 

Yuuna had already prepared a bunch of paninis for lunch while she was in the kitchen.  She needed to begin prepping for dinner that night so she figured she would start by making sandwiches for anyone who would wanted to have lunch.  It was a good thing they were done before Leona and Yukito came to the kitchen. After that crazy game game of eightball, it really gave them quite an appetite.  While Yuuna started prepping for the evening meal, she welcomed her co-workers with her usual sunny smile.

“Hey, guys!  Lunch is on the table if you’re hungry.  I made paninis today.”

Yukito started drooling at the sight of the warm and toasty sandwiches.  “You really know how to make the best lunches, babe. After that intense game with Marika we could use a bite to eat.”

Yuuna was curious when her boyfriend mentioned the match between Leona and Marika.

“Yeah, Leo totally dominated Marika in a game of casual eight ball!  She even managed to get my twenty thousand dollars back that I loaned to Sachie.”

He thought it was best to leave out the part where she also prevented him from being Marika’s love slave if Leona lost.  Yukito didn’t want to make his girlfriend worry than he already had.

“Really?  I didn’t know you played billiards, Leona?”

Leona blushed in modesty. “Well, I don’t play often, but I do like to play casual eight ball on occasion.  Plus, that’s the only billiards game I know how to play.”

Yukito wanted to tell Yuuna about the best part of the game.  The curiosity of how that striped ball managed to miss that pocket was still eating away at him.  He didn’t want to speculate Leona again, but he knew in his gut she was somehow behind that trick.

“That’s not even the half of it.  Marika was on her last ball and she nearly got it in the pocket.  But, right at the last minute it missed! And it was so weird, it just swerved right to the side like a car.”

Yuuna put her spoon down in shock.  Now she wished she could have been able to see it!

“Really!?  Holy cow! Leo, did you expect that it would happen?  I guess luck really is on your side!”

Yuuna was right. Even though Yukito and Yuuna had it terribly rough at the estate, since Leona started her mission she was very lucky.  She managed to get out of those horrid lessons that her co-workers had to endure, got a pretty easy job taking care of Chris and the beyondians, and on top of that, she and Klaus were reunited at the party while Yukito and Yuuna had to bare the abuses from the guests.  When Yuuna mentioned that luck was on her side, she felt the sandwich sit like a brick in her stomach from guilt.

“You’re right, Yuuna… I have been lucky.  I managed to get out of doing most of the grunt work while you guys had to suffer… Even at yesterday’s party I had an easy job.  My temporary master was actually gentle with me the entire time we were together, while you guys were hurting… It isn’t fair.”

Yuuna quickly grabbed Leona’s hand. “I’m sorry, Leo!  I didn’t mean to imply anything. I know this job’s been hard on you too.  Losing your charge must have been painful, and seeing your current ones suffer is probably putting a strain on you even now.”

Yukito looked down at his half eaten sandwich.  If anything, he didn’t make Leona’s time at the mansion easy either and he regretted it.

“I’m really sorry too, Leo.  I let my jealousy get the better of me, and my shitty attitude towards you didn’t make your job any better.  Yuuna was right when she told me that the Mistress was trying to put us against each other. She really knows how to treat her servants like pawns.  We really are nothing but playthings to the Mamiya’s and that’s why we should stick together. We may have only a few days here but, I have a feeling they won’t let us go easily after our terms here are up.  What do you guys say?”

Yuuna was one hundred percent on board with Yukito’s plan. “Yes, no matter what we need to have each other’s backs in the coming days.”

Leona was touched by Yukito’s words.  His last apology when she tried to help him get back together with his girlfriend was rather dry.  However, this time was different. There was true sincerity in his voice and he meant what he said that they should keep a watch out for each other.  Now that she didn’t have any limits on using her powers she knew that she was going to do her part in keeping her friends safe until the cavalry arrived.

“I also agree, I’m going to do everything I can to keep you guys safe.  But, I wouldn’t worry too much Yukito. I have a feeling that something good is coming, just wait and see.”

Yukito wasn’t too sure by what she meant, but he smiled and was on board with her instincts.

“So we’re all agreed, we stick together until the last day.” said Yuuna

They all released their hands and got back to finishing their lunches.  However, as soon as Leona was about to take a bit of sandwich she soon remembered that Sonic was still hiding in her hair.  In fact, he was very still and completely quiet as a church mouse that she had forgotten he was even there. While she was worried about Sonic getting caught, she figured that she trusted Yukito and Yuuna by then that they wouldn’t squeal about her little fuzzy friend.  Besides, since he was being so well behaved, she figured introducing them wouldn’t do any harm.

“Hey Yuuna, mind if I give that last sandwich to my pet, please?”

Both of her co-workers gave her very puzzling looks.  They didn’t she brought a pet with her. Honestly, both of them figured that bringing pets weren't allowed while they were working at the estate.  Yuuna thought that Leona must have a small animal like a gerbil or guinea pig and was able to sneak him into the mansion somehow.

“Um, sure I guess.  Actually, I had no idea you brought a pet with you.  I figured they wouldn’t be allowed here and since we have pretty busy schedules we wouldn’t have time to be with them during the day.”

“I didn’t intend to bring him along with me at first.  I was just going to leave him with a friend until I got back, but he snuck into my backpack while I wasn’t looking.  He can be kind of sneaky like that sometimes. He’s with me now if you want to say hi.”

Yukito and Yuuna were surprised when she mentioned he was there in the room with them.  They were wondering where on her person she could be hiding him. However, both of them would get their answer when Leona brought her large mane to her front.

“You can come out now, Sonic.  Don’t be shy.”

Her co-workers waited for just a few moments of anticipation for Sonic to appear.  Soon enough the little head of the sonic speed monkey popped out from the wavy curls of Leona’s hair.  Afterwards, he just appeared on the counter. They were shocked because it didn’t take them long to blink to notice that he was already on top Yuuna’s head and climbing on her braids.

“Holy Crap, that little guys fast!  I couldn’t even see him move!” said Yukito with excitement.

“That’s the thing with sonic speed monkeys.  These little guys move so fast that they can’t be seen with human eyes.  They can even break the sound barrier!” said Leona.

Her co-workers were very impressed with the little monkey.  No wonder they couldn’t see him. Sonic must have roamed the mansion dozens of times during his stay at the mansion and they wouldn’t have noticed a thing!

Yuuna started to giggle when he started to nuzzle her neck.  “Hahaha! Aww, he’s so cute! If I would have known you brought him, I could have made him some treats while you did your chores, Leo.”

Leona was glad that Sonic was getting along with Yuuna.  However, she still felt it was for the best to have them promise to keep Sonic a secret.  Better to be safe than sorry.

“None of the Mamiya’s or Sachie know that I brought him here.  I know you guys won’t tell but…”

Yukito smiled as he patted Leona’s shoulder.  “Hey, it’s cool. Besides, if we haven’t noticed him since we got here I’m sure he’s safe from the Mamiya’s.  But, I can understand why you want to keep this a secret from Sachie too. Knowing her she’d probably use him as blackmail, so your secret is safe with us.”

“Thanks, I really appreciate it.” Leona said with Gratitude.

“Besides he doesn’t seem like a trouble maker, aren’t ya little guy?”

Just as Yukito was about to reach out to pet Sonic, he let out a tiny growl and gave his fingers a hard nip.  It didn’t hurt too much, but it did surprise him. Leona suspected that the little monkey was still sore about him because of his past bullying.  After the bite Sonic moved back to his mistress.

“Ouch!  Geez for a little guy he sure can bite.” Said Yukito as he proceeded to nurse his index finger.

Leona lifted the monkey and lightly scolded him.  “Sonic! You know better than to bite people. Look, he said he was sorry, so please try to make nice until we go home, okay?  Sorry Yukito, I guess he’s still isn’t fond of you yet.”

The ravenette smiled through the pain as he tried to reassure Leona he was okay.  Honestly, he didn’t blame Sonic for biting him. Of course he would be protective of his master, especially after the way that Yukito treated him.  But, soon enough Sonic was able to eventually warm up to him, after Yukito let him have his dessert.

 

The rest of the day off was pretty casual.  Yuuna just wanted to give Sonic all the treats he wanted until he was put into a food coma.  The stuffed monkey was so sleepy from that big lunch that they couldn’t take their walk in the garden.  Leona figured they could still salvage their quality time together by taking a bath before bedtime. She thought it would be cool if Sonic got experience the swimming pool sized bath with her.  Once Leona put Sonic to bed she decided to help Yuuna out with dinner preparations. Even though the family didn’t deserve it, she thought it was high time that everyone tried out her famous apple pie.  During dessert she was glad that everyone really enjoyed her confection. Even Marisa managed to give her a compliment. Well, giving her compliment added with an insult to still make herself feel more superior to Leona.  However, she wished that Mikako was there to taste her apple pie as well. But deep down, Leona know that Mikako and her son were much better off in Hellsalem’s Lot than at the estate. Besides, once the Nonohara’s were in a better place mentally and physically she would treat them to her pie then.

Once dinner was finished and the dishes were cleaned up, Leona and Sonic finally went to the grand bath for a nice long soak.  Well, Leona was just soaking, while Sonic did little laps in the hot water. She knew he was having a fun time in the bath, but she still felt bad that they didn’t get to spend the entire day together.  What with that intense billiards and introducing Sonic to her friends, they couldn’t even take walk in the gardens. However, at least they had the bath all to themselves.

Sonic went swimming back to Leona as he decided to just soak alongside her.

“You really like the bath don’t you, Sonic?”

Sonic let out a relaxed hoot in agreement.

“Hehe, glad you like it.  Even though this place sucks, the bath has to be the best place out of everything here.”

As Leona and Sonic were quietly enjoying the relaxing bath, they were alerted to the sliding door opening.  Sonic quickly hid inside of Leona’s ponytail to see who was coming in. If it was Yukito or Yuuna it would have been fine.  Unfortunately, it was Sachie. So much for their alone time.

Sachie greeted Leona with her usual happy-go-lucky attitude that had already gotten on Leona’s nerves since the start of the second week of her mission.  She sat on the edge of the tub to get her legs wet before she submerged herself in the tub.

“Ahhh! Nothing like a nice bath at the end of  a relaxing day off… I have to say, Leo I was really impressed with how you handled that game with Marika.  You knew exactly how to use your skills to win.”

While Leona was flattered, she felt a little off with the conversation.  By the tone of Sachie’s voice, it was like she was sizing Leona up for something.

“Well, it was only just casual eight ball, Sachie.  While, I did know the best tactics to use to lead the game in my favor, really it was all just luck.  Marika obviously has been playing this game for years and she had a great chance of winning up to the last minute.”

Sachie arched her eyebrow.  There was no way she was buying Leona claim that she was just lucky.

“Oh come on, don’t give me that!  Look, that ball could have made it the pocket and Marika could have easily won the game.  But, I saw with my own two eyes how that ball just swerved like it was trying to avoid the pocket.”

Leona was starting to get nervous with what she was implying.  There was no way she could have noticed Sonic around the estate, could she?

“What are you trying to say, Sachie?”

Her senior took Leona by the shoulders and stared into her eyes.  She swallowed as she knew Sachie was about to call out Sonic. There was no way in hell she would let her use her little buddy to make Sachie win games in her favor!

“You totally have psychic powers, don’t you?!”

Leona was a bit confused but she was not really surprised.  Only Sachie would be dumb enough to come to a conclusion like that.  While Leona was aware that there were psychic castors, she felt that her having psychic powers was just a too easy answer.  Besides the only power she had that was psychic related was telepathy and that was it.

She gave her senior an unamused glare.  “Are you serious? What makes you think I have psychic powers?”

“What else could it mean?  There is no way breeze could have made that ball go straight to the side and miss that pocket.  Besides, I noticed how intense your face looked when Marika was about to get that win. There is no doubt you manipulated the ball with your mind powers!”

Leona was no longer amused by this conversation.  However, she was curious as to why she was so interested in psychic powers all of a sudden.  Sachie wasn’t the type of person who would be into occult stuff. The only thing that was on that girl’s mind was money, money, money.  As much as she wanted to leave, decided to indulge in Sachie’s hypothesis.

“Look, hypothetically what if I did have psychic powers.  Why would you want to know?”

Sachie giggled like a child.  It was like she was trying to get Leona involved in something she really didn’t want to do.

“Well, since I trust you won’t tell anyone about this, I’ll let you in on a little secret as to why I came to work at the mansion in the first place.”

Now Leona was starting to get intrigued.  She knew that Sachie would have wanted this job because of the good pay, but she didn’t know that there was more to her senior than what she appeared.

“The truth is, I’ve been trying to get into the family vault this entire time!  However, because of their cutting edge security systems they have everything locked up tight!  To be honest, before you arrived I was thinking of moving onto my next conquest since this place seemed like a lost cause.  However, If you do have the skills that I think you do, I could still get into the vault and get the hell out of here! Of course, I would share my prize with you and get away from here with me.  Well, what do you say. Are you in?”

Now Leona know why Sachie was so money obsessed.  She was a thief, but not a very good one if she had spent years trying to steal from the Mamiya’s without much success.  However, as epic as Sachie’s little plan sounded, it was still idiotic. Besides, Leona didn’t come to the Mamiya estate for the money.  She had a mission to complete and she wasn’t leaving until her job was fulfilled.

“I hate to disappoint you, Sachie but I don’t have any psychic powers.  And even if had, I still wouldn’t go along with your plan. Not only is it incredibly stupid, it’s also dangerous.  The Mamiya’s already know how to get the upper hand on those who try to outsmart them. I really think you should just let this place go and get out before you get seriously hurt.”

Even though Leona wasn’t fond of Sachie, she still didn’t want her to make any mistakes that she would regret.  Deep down she knew Sachie wasn’t evil as the Mamiya’s, but her greed has already made her reckless. She already proved that when Leona displayed her blood breed powers to her.  Not only that, Leona promised that all the servants should have each others backs, and that includes Sachies, even if she didn’t deserve it.

Sachie slumped in the water.  Leona thought that she was going to try to pressure her into going along with her scheme, but it would seem she was ready give up for good that time.

“Ehh, I figured you have said no.  Oh well, that’s life I guess. Today was my last day here at the estate, so I figured if I got your help I’d finally be able to crack the safe.  But, I understand that it would also be too dangerous if we tried. Welp, guess I’ll just have to focus on the place! I’ll be heading out tomorrow afternoon, so I won’t be able to help you guys get through your final days here.  You’ll be okay on your own, right?”

Leona was touched by Sachie’s concern.  But she reassured her that everything was going to be fine.

“Don’t worry, I have a feeling that we’ll all be okay after this.”

 After Leona’s conversation with Sachie ended she excused herself to go back to her room to get ready for bed.  Sonic was getting sleepy again so she and Sonic laid in the bed as they were ready to retire for the night. However, Leona stayed up for a while.  The next day would be her last day at the estate and she still had no clue on how Libra was going to handle taking the Mamiya’s into custody. However, she trusted that Klaus and Steven would come up with something.

“Just one more day, Sonic… just one more day.”


	22. Chapter 22

The night Klaus and Gilbert had driven back to Hellsalem’s Lot from the Mamiya’s party, they went straight to Bradbury General Hospital.  Libra’s new charges have been badly damaged by the family’s abuse and they needed serious physical and mental treatment as soon as possible.  Klaus sent Mikako and Makoto straight into Dr. Estevez’s care and told her all about their situation and what kind of treatments that they would need over the next several months.  The good doctor reassured Klaus that she had everything under control and she would see to their every need. Mikako was nervous at first because this would be the first time she was going to be seperated from her son, at least until they finished the first few stages of their recovery.  However, Dr. Estevez told her she had nothing to worry about and that she would do everything in her power to help the worried mother and her child. Mikako’s doubts had vanished after the doctor’s kind and reassuring words. She thanked Klaus again for saving her and son’s life then followed Dr. Estevez to where she would be staying for her treatment.

After Klaus was sure that the Nonohara’s were settled and was ready to leave the hospital, he felt his smartphone buzzing in his pocket.  When he saw Steven’s number, he immediately panicked. Klaus had failed to bring Leona home, the one thing he was supposed to do while he was in the Catskills!  He honestly had no idea what he was going to say to the man. The best thing to do was to just play the conversation by ear and hope that his friend wouldn’t be too upset about Klaus’ change of plans.

Klaus swallowed as he swiped the little bar across his phone to answer Steven’s call.

“... Hello?” He said quietly.

“Klaus, I thought you would contact me as soon as you’ve retrieved Leona.  It’s already one in the morning! Is she with you?”

Klaus pulled on his shirt collar to let some of the steam out.  Now came the hard part. “Um, yeah… about Leona, Steven… She’s not with me…”

The other line was silent for a while which made him nervous.  But soon, he heard chuckling that turned into hysterical laughter.  Klaus, knew from experience that that was not a good sign.

“Hahahaha!  I-I’m sorry, I thought I heard you say that Leona’s not with you!  Very funny, Klaus!”

Poor Steven was in denial.  He knew that Klaus rarely told jokes and if he did he wouldn’t make one about Leona.  The redhead was being completely serious about his current situation and he needed to tell his friend that.

“I’m not joking, Steven.  I didn’t bring Leo-”

“WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING!!! YOU HAD ONE JOB, MAN! ONE. FUCKING. JOB!”

Startled by his friend’s shouting he almost dropped his phone.  Steven’s screams on the other line were so loud that dogs would probably hear him.  It certainly captured the attention of the people people waiting in the lobby.  All eyes were on the flustered giant. He really didn’t want to draw anymore attention to himself than he already had, so he decided to take his phone call outside.

“Please try to calm down, Steven.  I have a perfectly good explanation for this, but I can’t talk about it over the phone.  I promise I will tell you everything at the office tomorrow morning.”

Klaus heard his friend grumble a few choice words then let out a frustrated sigh.

“Alright… fine!  But you better have a good explanation for this fuckup, damnit!”

Steven hung up immediately after that.  To say that Steven was upset with Klaus would be putting it mildly. He was downright furious!  He couldn’t blame his friend of course since he was supposed to bring Leona home that day. However, it wasn’t his fault or Leona’s for that matter.  Leona was right about there being too many variables left unchecked if she left the mansion that night. On top of that, there had been too many victims and they couldn’t let the Nonohara’s, the beyondians and the rest of the staff be alone with that twisted family.  She needed to stay behind to make sure nothing else happened. The last two days would be very crucial if the mission were to be a success.

When Klaus got in the back of the car, the rearview mirror was aimed directly at him, with Gilbert giving a serious glare.

“Now then Master Klaus, would you care to explain what is going on.”

Klaus was more than happy to tell the bandaged servant about his change of plans, but the days events had left him completely exhausted.  He decided to explain his change of plans to the bandaged butler along with rest of Libra in the morning.

“I promise I will tell you everything tomorrow, Gilbert.  But right now I am very tired from this long day and I could really use a long shower and a stiff drink, not entirely in that order.”

Gilbert sighed, but he trusted his master.  He was sure that Klaus had a perfectly good reason as to why things didn’t exactly go according to plan.  What he was worried about, was the wrath of his colleagues he would have to face the next day.

 

The morning after Klaus’ mission, he felt nervous going into headquarters that day.  Since he told Steven, it was inevitable that his friend would end up telling everyone that Leona wouldn’t be joining them that morning.  When he got back to his apartment, he immediately got a flood of angry texts and calls! He was so overwhelmed and tired that he shut off his phone until he got to the office.  But since it was already seven in the morning, he had to face the music. As soon as he entered the elevator he could already feel a dark aura hovering over him like a god of death… Klaus thought it was just his nerves getting the better of him.  He was so wrong.

When he opened the door, he was immediately met with Zapp’s fist in his face.  Klaus knew that blow was coming and he could have avoided it with ease. However, because he prepared that everyone would be as pissed as Steven was over the phone, he figured he deserved that one.  Honestly, he didn’t blame Zapp for hitting him. If Klaus was in his shoes he would probably do the same thing.

As Klaus stumbled to reach for his glasses that have been knocked off, his collar was snatched by Zapp.  “What. the. Absolute. Fuck? Why isn’t Leo back yet!?”

Chain who would normally reprimand Zapp for this kind of behavior, was on his side for once.  She appeared behind Klaus with her hand right through his back and was hovering around his beating heart.

“Normally, I wouldn’t side with this douche nozzle, but you better have a good explanation as to why you didn’t bring her home.”

While Zed and K.K. didn’t join in the violence, Klaus knew they were just as pissed since He could feel their steely glares on him.  However, that was nothing compared to the frost that Steven was giving off of his form.

“Well Klaus, we’re waiting…”

Klaus gently removed Zapp’s hand from his shirt collar and backed away from Chain’s death grip.  He straightened out his suit and pushed his glasses up his nose.

“Everyone, I understand that you are angry with me and honestly, I don’t have the right to blame you.  I was supposed to bring Leona back home with me last night and I failed. However, I do have a proper reason as to why I couldn’t bring her home yet.  If you could all sit down please, I shall explain.”

Zapp clicked his tongue and stomped over to the meeting area.  He sat down in his chair and placed his feet on the table. Soon everyone got into their places and waited with baited breath for Klaus’ reason.  For Klaus’ sake, Steven hoped that it was a good enough excuse.

“Alright Klaus, you have our attention.”

“Thank you, Steven.  First of all, it wasn’t my intention to leave Leona behind like I did.  You have to believe me when I say that I would have brought her home in a heartbeat when I had the chance.  However, it was Leona who made the decision to stay at the mansion for the last few days of of her contract, not I.”

Steven sighed as he took a swig of his coffee.  He wasn’t surprised that it was Leona who decided to stay behind. And of course with Klaus being well, Klaus he didn’t really had the power to say no to her.  But, only if the need was really important of course. He put his mug down and continued listening to his friend’s explanation.

“You see, she pointed out a few important factors to her argument as to why she couldn’t leave the mansion yet.  There were too many variables that were left unchecked if she left with me last night. If I took Leona home, the Mamiya’s would have free range to do anything they desired to the missing beyondians that have been found.  And that includes their remaining staff. There have been too many casualties in this case already and if she came back to Hellsalem’s Lot another life would have been lost. The Mamiya’s have already proven how swift they can be when they eliminated Chris Davis.”

The Libra team were now starting to understand why Klaus did what he did.  They were still upset but Klaus did have a point. Since Leona no longer had a limit on the use of her powers she would be able to do damage control if the Mistress attempted to put any of the hostage’s lives at risk.

“Okay fair enough, but what did you do with the cash in the second briefcase?” Steven asked.

“I was about to get to that.  The Nonohara’s were placed on the auction block after Mikako’s husband was unable to pay off the rest of their debt in time.  Since Mrs. Nonohara and her son were only working at the mansion as collateral it was inevitable that they would end up being sold off to the Mamiya’s associates.  Since Leona had gotten close with the Nonhara’s during her stay, she didn’t want them to be separated from one another. So, I used that money to win both of them at the auction.  Leona even lent me her payment that the mistress gave her in advance to ensure my victory.”

Everyone was surprised.  Not only did the reasoning as to why Leona had to stay behind made sense, but he used that money to save the Nonohara’s!  Mikako did became an important ally to the little blood breed. In fact if it wasn’t for her kindness, Leona probably would have lost her mind in that house.

“Wow…” Chain said breathlessly.

“I’m sorry we doubted you, Klausie.” K.K. said with her head down.

“Where are the Nonohara’s now?  Are they staying with you?” asked Zed.

“No, When I came back last night I sent them to Bradbury General Hospital.  Mrs. Nonohara and her son are settled in and are undergoing treatment as we speak.”

Steven was relieved that the Nonohara’s were staying at the hospital for the time being.  He knew that those two have been seriously hurt by the Mamiya’s thanks to the drugs and body modifications they forced upon them.  Not only that, settling into Hellsalem’s Lot of all places was a big change for the both of them. they would need all the help they can get once they’ve completed their treatment.  Steven knew that Leona and Klaus would be the ones to help them with their new surroundings. Of course, the ice user would gladly take charge to secure an apartment for the Nonohara’s and offer the necessary funds to help them get back on their feet once they were out of the hospital.

Even though they were all bummed that Leona couldn’t come home yet, they understood why Klaus and Leona did what they did at the party.  While Steven and Zapp were annoyed that the girl’s heart can be too big for its own good, deep down they were glad that the remaining victims will be safe since she was still there.  However, one concern still held tight onto Steven’s weary mind. How were they going to get the beyondians and Leona out of that mansion? While he was aware that the Mamiya’s have been getting very cocky and were likely to slip up at any moment, they could still outsmart them.  They clearly had the technology to clear their tracks, especially if the servants bracelets had the explosive devices in them. If Libra and the HLPD just showed up at the estate, they could take everyone out with the explosives. Killing not just Klaus, Steven and the police but the missing beyondians and the rest of the staff too.  Steven and Klaus would have to talk about their predicament later.

He snapped out of his train of thought when Klaus continued on with his discovery at the mansion.

“I also have more proof that my trip at the estate has not been in vain.  You see, I swapped my usual glasses with the camera glasses like the pair Leona has been wearing.  During the auction I noticed two individuals who attended the party that looked oddly familiar to me.”

Klaus took the pictures of the men and placed them on the table for everyone to see.  Fortunately, for the libra team they were only headshots of the suspects.

“When I described these gentlemen to Leona, she instantly remembered them as members of the HLPD, precinct thirteen.  Apparently, they sometimes guard the entrance to Ghetto Heights and not only that, work directly under Detective Daniel Law.”

Everyone in the room gasped.  There was no way that Detective Law could have had something to do with this case, did he?

Zapp immediately jumped to conclusions as he shot out of his chair and stomped towards the door, probably to give Law a piece of his mind.  

“Bastard!  Just wait till I get my hands on ‘em!”

K.K. jumped after him, trying to pull him back to his chair.

“You idiot! We don’t know if it really was Law!”

“K.K has a point, but if those men did work with Law’s team that doesn’t rule him out as a possible suspect in this case.  What do you think, Klaus?”

Steven looked towards his friend, hoping for an answer.  He’d known Detective Law for years and had strong doubts that he could be behind the beyondian’s disappearances.  However, he was still uncertain.

“I was about to get to that, Steven.  I know that Law isn’t behind this because we have a clear description of the person who took Ms. Angela to the estate.  She even said so herself that her escort had a tall and lanky build with a bird beak like nose. The very distinct traits of one Mr. Jasper Crane.”

Steven nearly spat out his coffee when Klaus mentioned that name.

“Wait, Jasper Crane?  As in the new assistant police chief Jasper Crane?  I’ve only seen him a few times and he’s certainly not a pleasant fellow.  But, are you one hundred percent sure it’s him, Klaus?”

“Trust me Steven, I have no doubt in my mind at this point.  There is only one person at precinct thirteen who has those features and it’s him.  Leona said so herself that those men at the party wouldn’t have been able to get in on their own.  Their boss would need to have the right amount of money and direct connections to the Mamiya’s to attend.  Considering that Mr. Crane is in a fairly high position of power and was formerly a police chief in the most intolerant part of Hellsalem’s Lot, he could be the associate we’ve been looking for.”

The ice user thought hard about what his friend was saying.  Crane certainly was the man who had the money and connections to pull it off.  And there was no don’t that he could hire lackeys easily impressed with the idea of being rewarded by one of the wealthiest families in America.

“You may be on to something, Klaus.  If Crane really is the associate he wouldn’t have been able to take all those victims to the estate on his own.  Those men at the party must have given him assistance in getting them on the outside.” said Steven.

While Zapp didn’t know the police chief personally, he knew how much of slimy prick he is thanks to Leona’s describing how he was leering at her when they first met.  However, putting his bias aside there was a problem that was weighing on his mind.

“Okay, but how are you going to get him to confess?  Even though you do have pictures of Law’s guys, they’re only headshots.  It doesn’t show them that they were at the Mamiya party.”

Klaus pushed up his glasses and smirked.

“Remember Zapp, these glasses are for than just taking pictures.  Just like Leona was able to capture all that evidence with her pair, I was able to get an entire recording of the events that took place at the party.”

He took out a flash drive from his pocket and showed it to everyone present.

“Just this morning I edited and put the footage together on this disc drive so I could hand it over to Daniel.  I’m certain if we show those men this footage they will find it rather difficult to deny they’ve been helping the associate with the disappearances.”

Steven took the flash drive from his hand and just stared at it with wide eyes.  He had no idea that Klaus took those camera glasses with him to the Catskills. To be honest, he figured that they wouldn’t be needed since they got all the evidence that was necessary to bring to the police.  It would seem Kaus was one step ahead of Steven this time. With the footage that Klaus got, the suspects would sing like canaries!

“Well, I guess we know what we have to do now.  Klaus, we should over to the station immediately and show Law what you found.”

“Awww!  But, I wanna see the action!” Zapp whined.

Klaus put the flash drive back in his pocket as he and Steven were about to head out the door.

“That won’t be necessary, Zapp.  We will keep everyone informed, once we’re sure we’ve got the culprit.”

“Damnit!”

 

Klaus and Steven went to find Detective Law sitting at his desk at the station.  They were very fortunate that he was in that day, since the information they were about to give him was something he shouldn’t miss.  When the detective found the two Libra operatives stand before him, he blew out an annoyed puff of smoke and put it out in the ashtray.

“Well, since the two weeks are almost up I figured you guys would come to see me.  You brought the evidence footage with you, yes?”

“Something like that.  However, this kind of footage concerns not only The Mamiya’s but it’s a vital clue as to whom their Hellsalem’s Lot associate is.” said Klaus.

Law’s eyes lit up with the good news.  It was about time they knew who the bastard responsible for this mess was.

“Really!?  That’s great!  Do you know who they are?”

Steven rubbed the back of his neck.  He didn’t know how to break this to him.

“We have an idea who they are, yes. But this might be a bitter pill for you to swallow.”

The detective’s smile faltered at Steven’s ominous words.

“I don’t understand, what do you mean?”

“It’s probably for the best that we show you the footage in private.  Is the interrogation room okay?”

Detective Law nodded as he showed the two gentleman in.  He brought in a laptop where they can watch the footage Klaus had on the flash drive.  Klaus cut out the parts that he deemed were unimportant and only got to the part where the Mamiya’s hosted the sex show and auction events of the party.  As they were watching what went on at the party, both Steven and Law were turning pale as ghosts. Even though Klaus already felt the nausea from witnessing it in person, he couldn’t deny the scene still made him feel queasy.  Steven was now one hundred percent glad that Nonohara’s were safe at the hospital. After what went down between them, they needed all the psychological help that they could get. Poor Detective Law had it worse. He was so mortified that both of his best guys actually got off to that disgusting display!  Daniel felt so sick watching that, he was about to throw up his breakfast. Unable to watch anymore of it, he quickly turned the video off.

“Oh. My. God… *urp* I think I’m gonna puke.”

Klaus quickly brought the rubbish bin and passed it to the detective so he could empty the contents of his stomach.  He rubbed Law’s back in comfort as he continue to carry on with his purge. Steven didn’t blame him since he too felt like he was going to lose his breakfast too.  After Law had finished vomiting he put his head in his hands. He was completely disgusted and ashamed by what had just happened in that video.

“Jesus Christ, man… I knew this family was sick but forcing a mother and child to do… that?!  And my best men on the force actually get off to this shit?! Fuck! What the hell is this world coming to?  Ugh, so that’s where they went to yesterday. They told me they were going to some party, but I had no idea it was to a god damn Mamiya party!  Just how the fuck is this evidence, Klaus?”

“I’m sorry you had to find out like this, Daniel but this is crucial to finding the accomplice.  Since these gentleman would have no way of getting into the party on their own, their superior would be the only one capable of letting them into that party. However, that would only be possible as long as they helped him get the beyondians to the Mamiya estate without raising suspicion.”

“Wait, you seriously don’t think that I’m the one responsible for this, right?  Like I said, I had no idea that these guys went to that party!”

“Don’t worry, we know you aren’t the accomplice.  However, we do have an idea who they could be but before we can even confront them, we have to integrate your men first.” Said Steven.

The detective was about to take another cigarette from his pack to calm his nerves.  However, because he was still nauseous from viewing the footage his craving for a smoke immediately disappeared, so he put his pack away.  He would have to put up with the interrogation without his number one carnal pleasure.

He sighed as he got up from his seat.

“Okay, you guys wait here and I’ll go get ‘em.”

“Try not to pummel them on the way here, okay Daniel?”

Steven didn’t ask out of sarcasm.  He knew that this case had everyone’s nerves frayed in more ways than one.  But even so, the ice user needed everyone to stay calm until they were sure they have the right culprit.

“No promises…” Said the detective as he slammed the door behind him.

In just a few short minutes, Daniel had the two officers shoved into the small interrogation room.  Both of them had confused and somewhat terrified faces.

“Tom, Bill, sit down.”

As the two men sat down in the seats facing the two Libra operatives.  The Blonde haired one began to complain as to why they were sent there in the first place.

“Christ Law, what the heck is this all about?  I swear, you came at us like an angry tiger. Look if it’s about that one cigarette that I took, I told you I would buy you a new pack!”

Daniel slammed both of his hands on the metal table.  He was not going to put up with their incompetent guessing.  Lives were at stake and he needed answers!

“This isn’t about any goddamn cigarettes, you numbskull!”

Klaus who was more subtle, put a hand on the shaking detective’s shoulder.  While he was just as upset as Daniel was, the gentle redheaded giant was more capable at concealing his emotions better.  Well, he was second best at it anyway. Steven was far more superior at that particular skill since Klaus can be prone to showing his heart on his sleeve.

“Daniel please, let us handle this.” said Klaus calmly.

Detective Law sighed as he backed off the table and stood behind Klaus and Steven.  Technically, since one of Libra’s operatives is involved in this case and they had the evidence footage to prove the men’s guilt, it was only fair that they handled the interrogation.

“This is probably going to be a bit shocking for the both of you, but we need you guys to watch this for us.” Said Steven.

The Brown haired cop was looking confused, while the other one was looking a bit pale.  Steven kept an eye on the blonde haired one, he had a feeling this one was going to be a problem.

When the video started playing, both of the officers started breaking out in a cold sweat.  The Brown haired one had cupped his face in his hands while his partner was biting his thumbnail and cursing under his breath.  However, they didn’t feel sick or had the need to vomit. The expressions on the men’s faces were that of guilt and paranoia. Since both Klaus and Steven are both well trained in the art of observation among their other skills, they knew they had the officers backed into a corner.

Once the footage was paused, Klaus decided to start the interrogation.  However, before he could even start, the blonde haired cop lashed out and threw the laptop across the room.  He was practically foaming at the mouth.

“I don’t know how the fuck you guys got that on tape, but that wasn’t us!”

Steven chuckled, he wasn’t buying that.  “Really? Says the guy who viciously threw the laptop in a violent rage and expressing the telltale signs of paranoia. Tsk, tsk tsk, you’re not exactly making a good case for yourselves.”

The blonde haired cop quickly stood up and looked Steven dead straight in the eye.

“Oh yeah, and didn’t anyone tell you guys it’s illegal to videotape someone without their consent? Hehehe, if anything you guys are more guilty than we are.  Isn’t that right, Bill?”

The brown haired one just stared at the table, feeling the weight of his guilt rest heavily on his shoulders.  However, his partner wasn’t having it. He grabbed Bill’s shoulder, digging his fingernails into his uniform.

“RIGHT, Bill!?” Tom, asked again.

The brown haired cop just shrugged off his shoulder, and looked at him defyingly.

“No, Tom!  It’s… It’s over.  I knew it was over when Mr. Reinherz’ won the Nonohara’s at yesterday’s auction.  Only you were to busy playing with your junk to even notice he was there.”

Bill looked up at Klaus with remorse.

“I know who you guys are.  Libra isn’t exactly a secret around here and besides you two are the only private citizens i’ve seen interacting with Daniel.  And with this case getting so out of hand I knew you guys were gonna get involved sooner or later.”

“Does this mean you are willing to cooperate with us, Bill?” Asked Klaus.

“I-”

“LIKE HELL HE IS!”

Just as Tom was about to pull out his gun, Daniel was about apprehend him from behind.  However, Steven was one step ahead of him.

“Esmeralda Blood Freeze! Aguja del Cero Absoluto! (Needles of Absolute Zero)”

Tom’s body was completely paralyzed before he was able to pull the trigger on Bill.  The room was freezing cold thanks to Steven’s power. Detective Law only saw Libra use their skills only a handful of times, but those blood powers never ceased to amazed him.  That attack happened so fast that Daniel barely had time to blink before seeing his former colleague covered in frost.

“Jesus, Starphase…”

“I had a feeling that Tom here was going to be trouble so, I decided to use my ability on him.  It won’t kill him but, it will be painful like having icy needles running through his veins. But, back to business.  Bill, we need you to be a thousand percent honest with us. Did you and your partner go to that party?”

The chubby cop let out a deep sigh.  “Yes, we did.”

“And were you able to get into the Mamiya’s estate on your own?” Asked, Klaus.

“No, our boss was able to get us invitations for helping him get the beyondians on the outside but, he couldn’t do it on his own. So, in exchange for a small fortune, we would also provide transportation for those who applied for the servant positions to the Mamiya’s estate without raising suspicion.  Once we arrive at the estate, the lady of the house would pay either me or Tom and our boss would give us a quarter of that pay. As a bonus, we would get into those parties.”

“And you guys have been doing this for a year and a half now?” Asked, Steven.

“At first no.  I thought it was crazy, but… the idea of being able to experience the Mamiya’s famous er, infamous parties seemed so enticing… I gave in.  Tom and I only got involved until after half of the year and no one else knew what we were doing, until now.”

Klaus clenched his jaw.  His lower teeth were biting into his lip so hard, he started to bleed.  While he was glad that Bill was being honest confessing to his assistance in the associate’s crimes, that still didn’t douse the flames of his anger.  Klaus knew how passivity can cause more harm than good, especially when lives were at risk.

“Yes well, thanks to your failure to speak up about what’s been going on this past year, so many of the victims have perished!  And not just by the Mamiya’s hands, but… but by their own too. Even though there are some who will come out of this alive, they will still have to deal with the trauma in the years to come… I hope when you face your punishment, you will think long and hard about what you could have done to save those lives.”

Fat tears began streaming down Bill’s face.  The brunette cop knew that he should have done something sooner.  But, in the end he was weak and he had no excuse for not telling anyone about their crimes.  Even so, The brown haired cop was willing to pay off his debt to society for all the misery his passivity had caused.

Steven sniffed as he looked back at Bill, now was the time to know the name of the associate.

“Now here’s the million dollar question, Bill.  Who is the Mamiya’s associate?”

The young cop’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Libra members.

“...Jasper Crane.”

 

Klaus, Steven, Daniel, and Bill went straight to the police chief’s office after the soon-to-be former cop gave them his confession.  Bill told the three gentlemen everything about Crane and how he has been behind the disappearances since day one. Because of his power as assistant police chief as well as his high ranking position in Ghetto Heights, he was able to secure the funds to get the Mamiya’s advertisements inside the fogged dome.  He was also able to secure vans to get the victims on the outside thanks to Marie Mamiya’s assistance. The Mistress paid Crane very handsomely so she could have get her hands on the beyondians. Another thing that Bill mentioned, was that he was also doing this to fulfil an anti-beyondian agenda. He, like the rest of the Ghetto Height’s population, hold a strong bias against those who came from the alter-world.  From what Crane told Bill, was that the Beyondians would be put a better “purpose” rather than just playing at being human. Yet, another reason Klaus, Steven and Daniel needed to put Crane in his place.

As the three gentleman went to the police chief’s office, all staff who were on duty felt the building get warmer.  Klaus’ aura was blazing from rage he felt bubbling inside.

Klaus didn’t even bother knocking when they got to the office door.  The three gentlemen just barged right in while the police chief and Crane were going over documents together.  Both men looked at them with surprised faces. The Chief of police knew Klaus and Steven for quite sometime since Libra had been established.  While Daniel wasn’t always keen on Libra teaming up with the police when the needed the extra man power, the Chief himself was a bit more patient with them.  

But, as soon as Crane made eye contact with Klaus he lost his patience immediately.

“What’s the meaning of this!?  Can’t you gentlemen notice that we’re busy at the moment?  Whatever it is you want from the Chief is going to have to wait.”

However, the police chief just waved a hand in front of Crane, dismissing him for his rudeness.

“Nonsense, these two gentlemen here have been helping us with the missing beyondians case.  They wouldn’t have come rushing in here if it wasn’t something important as that. That is what you wish to talk to me about, correct?”

Klaus took a deep breath to gain his composure before he could answer the police chief.  “Yes sir, we were able to figure out one of the suspects responsible for the disappearances.”

“Right, Detective Law told me that the Mamiya’s have had a hand in this.  However, are you absolutely sure they are responsible for this? I know there were rumors of them keeping their employees against their will, but thanks to their many lawyers the family was acquitted.  I’m ashamed to admit it, but considering the Mamiya’s live on the outside, I don’t know how they could be behind this.”

Crane placed a hand on his shoulder as he looked directly at Klaus.  “Exactly! it’s as you said sir, while the Mamiya’s are an infamous family they do live outside the city’s dome.  There’s no way they could possibly be involved in the disappearances.”

Klaus’ eyes narrowed as Crane gave him a twisted little smirk.  That snake actually believed he was untouchable. However, little did he know that Libra always had the upper hand.  They were specialists after all.

“Trust me, we have all the proof we need right here.”  Klaus took the flash drive from his pocket and handed it to the police chief.

“We had one of our agents work undercover as a servant to the Mamiya’s.  These past two weeks she’s been filming evidence of the Family’s crimes and managed to find the surviving beyondians.  She’s still at the estate even as we speak.” Said Steven.

The chief’s eyes widened when the ice user said the agent’s pronoun. “Wait, you sent a female member to Mamiya’s estate?!  That poor girl…”

“I wouldn’t underestimate her, sir.  She’s not as weak as you think. They haven’t been able to lay a finger on her during the mission.  And even if they had… I would make sure they would pay dearly.”

While Steven was shocked with that last statement, he couldn’t blame Klaus for saying it.  This was his girlfriend after all.

‘ _My word, Klaus is even willing to make his threat known in front of the Chief of police?!  This is most definitely a first even for him.’_

Daniel was getting impatient, so he figured it was time to him who the Mamiya’s Hellsalem’s Lot associate was. “Before we get to that, we think you should know who the one who is responsible for getting the beyondians on the outside, Chief.”

“Well I’m all ears, tell me.”

Detective Law looked Crane dead straight in the eye.  Since day one he had a weird feeling in his gut about his new superior and it was hardly ever wrong.  His co-workers thought that he was just being paranoid but his instincts still kept telling him otherwise.  But now, thanks to Libra they had the proof they needed to put an end to his crimes.

He took a deep breath and stared back at the chief of police.  “The associate has been Assistant Police Chief Jasper Crane this whole time.”

The room went quiet for a moment.  The actual police chief just stared at the detective like he grew a third head.  Of course he was going to have a difficult time believing that his second in command was partly responsible for the disappearances.

The silence was broken by the laughter of Mr. Crane himself.  “Hahahaha! Surely you jest! Honestly Law, I know that you are not fond of me, but really?  Placing the blame all on me out of spite is completely uncouth.”

The police chief sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.  Unlike Crane he did not find this at all funny. “This… this is a very serious accusation, Law.  Klaus, Steven… is he right about this?”

“He is.” Steven said Immediately.  “Our friend Bill here sang like a canary.  He and his partner Tom assisted Crane by offering transportation for the applicants to the Mamiya’s estate on the outside.  Even Crane couldn’t pull this off on his own so he needed Lackeys to help him out.”

“Bill, is this true?” Asked the police chief.

The chubby officer stepped forward.  Crane was giving him a look that could kill, silently threatening him to back down.  However, unlike Crane and his partner Tom, he still had a conscience.

“It’s all true sir.  This past year, My partner Tom and I have been hired by Assistant Chief Crane to help him in taking the beyondians straight to the Mamiya estate.  In exchange, we would get paid a large sum as well as invitations to their parties.”

Bill’s face turned bright red with shame as he looked at Klaus.  “Mr. Reinherz managed to get video evidence of our attendance at yesterday’s party…”

Even though Klaus thought using those glasses at the party was crucial, he couldn’t help but blush too.  However, in this case it was a necessary evil. “It’s all there on that flash drive, sir.”

“Wait just a minute!” Crane shouted.  “How do we know Mr. Bill is telling the truth?  Mr. Reinherz and Mr. Starphase could have threatened this poor man into telling this outrageous story just to to frame me!  You really can’t trust… ugh, vigilantes.”

Bill was grinding his teeth.  He didn’t want Crane to be his mouthpiece any longer.  “They didn’t force me, Crane! I… I’ve been wanting to speak up about this for so long but I…. I was too weak for those damn parties to do so!  You were right, Klaus. Because of my silence, I let the list of victims just pile up. But not any more! This has to end now, Crane!”

The chief of police’s eyes narrowed as he turned to look at his second in command.  “It would seem that Bill knows a lot about your current activities. Care to explain, Jasper?”

The assistant Chief gulped and started breaking out in a cold sweat.  That blabbermouth Bill was ruining everything! “I...I… but honestly sir, I’m positive that Bill is just confused and scared of Libra’s threats, aren’t you Bill?”

Little did he know that Bill has one more piece of evidence that would become the final nail in his coffin.  “Actually, there’s one more thing I forgot to mention to you guys. While working under Crane, he instructed me to destroy any bills and invoices concerning any of the “merchandise” exchanged through either the Mamiya’s or Crane.  However, I never followed through with those orders. They’re still in my desk with each and every one of those documents have Jasper Crane’s signature.”

With all eyes on Crane, he was about to bolt from the building entirely now that all the evidence was stacked up against him.  However, Klaus was one step ahead of him. He grabbed both of Crane’s arms and held him up against the wall. As much as he tried to wiggle his way out of Klaus’ death grip, there was no escape.  The poor police chief had his head in his hands, ashamed of his colleague’s actions.

“Dear God… the criminal was right under our noses this whole time and we didn’t even know it.  Dammit Crane, I trusted you! Even though I knew you originally came from Ghetto Heights I thought you were different!  Why would you do this?”

Crane just scoffed at his former superior’s question.  Now that the cat was out of the bag, he no longer feigned his ignorance.  If he was no longer going to be a part of the criminal justice system, they may as well see his true colors.

“Please, do you honestly think those, those… **creatures** should have the right to walk among us?  They only think that they can be as normal as humans, but deep down they will always be monsters.  If anything I was doing them a favor. They’re all better off being nothing more than just pretty little oddities for humans to enjoy.  And trust me, the Mamiya’s have exceeded my expectations. Beyondians make quite the spectacular sexual commodities! Marie really does know what she’s doing.”

Steven was close to freezing him to death, but Klaus’s grip on him was so strong, he could hear the bones in his arms crack.  He decided to let his friend take care of the slimy creep.

Klaus was so furious he was having trouble finding the words to voice his rage.  Tears were forming in the corners of his eyes as his heart ached for all the people who have suffered, and all due to Crane’s greedy and discriminatory ambitions.

“Do you… do you have any idea how much pain you have caused?  And I’m not just talking about those who will survive, but those who will never make it back home!  Do you even know the heartbreak their families will go through when we tell them?!”

“Heh, no… I don’t… and I have no regrets…”

Klaus growled at his lackluster answer.  “And that’s not all… because of your crimes, my Leona forced herself to go to that goddamn madhouse!  She had to endure two weeks of hell at the hands of the Mamiya’s! I never… EVER wanted her to endure a nightmare like that but I… I let her…”

“Wait, you sent Ms. Leona for this mission? Heh.. hehehe… HAHAHAHA!!!  If only I’d known sooner! The girl would be worth millions! HAHAHA!!!!”

In that moment, Klaus saw only red.  He released his left hand from Crane’s arm and immediately drove his fist right into the former assistant chief’s gut.  Even though Steven was wondering what took his friend that long, he couldn’t help but apologize to the chief for Klaus’ actions.

“Uh, sorry about that.  Klaus is very devoted when it comes to Leona.”

The police chief shook his head.  “Don’t be, this is nothing compared to what is in store for his future.  Or lack of one to be precise.”

Klaus just let the pathetic man drop on the floor convulsing from the impact.  However, he had one more thing to say before he left him to his inevitable demise.

“Well, in a way you are correct, she is priceless.  But like I said, she is far from being an average member of our organization.  If the Mamiya’s really did treat her as on of their commodities… they better hope they know what they’ve gotten themselves into…”

And with that, Klaus walked out of the office.  Since he said his piece, he no longer wished to look at that man’s face again.  Steven followed after him, leaving the chief and Detective Law with the unconscious Jasper Crane.

“Um, what should we do now, sir?”

The chief sighed as he stood up from his desk.  “Let’s just cuff him and place him in a holding cell for the time being.  I need to take a look at the evidence footage that Klaus left for me. Law, once you take care of Jasper, I leave you in charge of planning the raid on the Mamiya’s estate.  Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good… now get him out of my sight.”

 

Steven found Klaus sitting on a bench near Law’s cubicle.  His back was hunched forward as he cradled his head in his hands and completely emotionally exhausted.  Not just with his confrontation with Crane, but with this whole ordeal that has been taking place these past two weeks.  The ice user sat down next to his friend as he put his hand on Klaus’ shoulder.

“I think it’s safe to say that you and Leona definitely deserve a two week vacation after this is over.”

Klaus chuckled as he finally found the strength to sit upright again.  Libra took on very difficult cases in the past but he could not remember one that left him feeling so worn out.  “You’re right about that, Steven. But that’s going to have to wait. Now all that’s left is to figure out how to get Leona and the remaining victims out of that house.”

Both gentleman were racking their brains as to how they would be able to pull it off.  They needed to find a way to incapacitate the family first, before moving in and saving the victims.  The Mamiya’s were always be one step ahead, but their greed had made them reckless. They didn’t even know that Klaus or Leona were members of Libra.  With the girl, they only viewed her as just an annoying, self righteous, goody two shoes. And with Klaus, they just saw him as a man with endless cash pouring out of his ears.  Libra could use that to their advantage, but they needed some kind of opening in order to pull it off.

However, that opportunity immediately came banging on their door when Klaus’ smartphone started buzzing in his pocket.  When he looked at the caller ID he was shocked to see Marie Mamiya’s name! After the day’s events, Klaus and the Mistress exchanged contact info after he told her how much he had fun with Leona that afternoon.  Honestly, he didn’t expect to hear from her immediately the day after the party. He looked to Steven in a panic, unsure of what to do. There were too many people in the office, so the two of them hurried into the bathroom so Klaus could answer Lady Mamiya.

When Klaus swiped the little bar, he put the call on speakerphone so Steven could listen in on his conversation.  

“Klaus took a deep breath as he answered the recipient on the other end.  “Hello?”

“Mr. Von Reinherz! How are you?  Are you having a good day?” Said the Mistress with her seductive voice.

“Um, it’s alright I suppose.  To be honest I’m kind of surprised, since I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

“What can I say, I’m woman of many surprises.  But, I’m sure you’re curious as to why I’ve called so I’ll cut the chase.  I know how much of a great time you had with Leona yesterday, so I was thinking of selling her to you!”

Klaus’ heart skipped a beat the moment Marie said that Leona would be his.  This was the opportunity they’ve been waiting for! “R-really?! You’re actually willing to sell her to me?  I must say, this is a pleasant surprise! But why do you want get rid of her now?”

“Well if I’m being perfectly honest, that girl has been thorn in my side since she came here.  She has been getting far too chummy with my current “merchandise”, which would cause a problem for me if I let her leave the estate.  However, if I leave her with you, it would give me peace of mind.”

“I understand, but how will you sell her to me?  If she is that much of a trouble maker, there’s no doubt she’ll try to put up a fight.”

There was a brief chuckle on the other end of the line before she could give Klaus his answer.  “Fufufu, don’t worry… she won’t have a choice. Tomorrow is her last day, but before she “leaves” I will give her the task to clean the reception room.  In my office I keep an expensive vase on an old stand, but here’s the trick. I’ve had that stand’s leg deliberately cut so that way the vase would topple over and crash to the floor.  Leona would owe me $95,000 dollars for the vase, just $15,000 dollars short from what I paid her. That is also the price I’m willing to sell her. Trust me, I’ve been doing this trick with the majority of my servants for years. So, what do you say?”

Klaus was completely speechless.  No wonder so little of the Mamiya’s employees ever made it back home!  They all fell for the same dirty ploy. Not only would their contracts force them into debt, but if the Mistress did not want to let them go or saw them as “merchandise” she would trick them into debt instead!

“My, that is devious.  But, I do wish to have Leona for my very own… very well, I’ll take part in your plan.”

“Excellent!  Just come to the estate at around three in the afternoon and we will conduct our exchange from there.”

“That sounds good to me, Madame.  See you tomorrow.”

When Klaus hung up, Steven stared at him with a very dumbfounded expression.  This was probably the greatest luck they had in this case! “Okay, if that was not the universe giving us this golden opportunity, I don’t what is!”

“I could agree more, Steven.  We finally have an opening to raid the estate!  We have to let Detective Law know about this Immediately!”

 

“Okay, let’s go over this one more time.” Said the detective.  

The three gentlemen gathered in the interrogation room to go over the plan for the raid.  The lady of the house had let her guard down. Now it was time to infiltrate the mansion to retrieve Leona and the missing beyondians!

“You and Steven will go on ahead of us first.  I’m sure with both of your abilities combined, you will be able to incapacitate the family easy peasy. But, do not let your guards down, they are still clever even if they have gotten sloppy.  Once they’ve been taken care of, call me immediately and we’ll all barge through the gate. Once we’re in, Leona can lead us to the missing beyondians and you guys take all the documents on those who are still missing or dead.  Any questions?”

The two gentlemen understood the plan perfectly.  No questions were necessary. After that, they all went to the police chief so they can let him know of the plan so he could give them his official approval.  Later that night, the detective and the Police Chief went over how the next day was going down and everyone was on board.

Klaus and Steven went over the same plan with Libra.  Even though the two of them would be going in first, the rest of Libra would be their backup if they needed it.  They were to be in the SWAT vehicles along with the rest of Law’s men. Klaus may have been a day late into bringing Leona home, all of Libra was ecstatic that they would all be participating in getting back to Libra.  However, no one was more ecstatic than Klaus. While he did not regret his actions in bringing the Nonohara’s to Hellsalem’s Lot in her place, a part of him wished he had brought her home too. This whole mission had been nothing but a nightmare, but fortunately, it would soon be over.

That evening Klaus looked over the Balcony of his apartment.  He really missed viewing the night life of the city with Leona.  But the thought of her coming home the next day, was enough to get him through another lonely night without her. “Just be patient a little while longer, my love.  We’ll be arriving very soon, I promise.”


	23. Chapter 23

It was finally Leona’s last day of her mission.  While she was happy that she was finally going home, she was very worried.  How will the victims survive without Leona there to protect them? She hoped that Libra came up with a good solution to get them out from under the Mamiya’s thumbs and soon.  However, she was hopeful that things will work out somehow. Her faith in Libra never wavered once and it certainly wasn’t going to waver then and there.

That morning, she decided to to talk with Angela before breakfast.  Her friend had been complaining of some mild aches in her stomach and it made Leona feel rather concerned for her current state.  Since Angela was in her final month of pregnancy that was to be expected. However it was the actual due date that was making them both uneasy.  Neither of them knew when she will deliver the baby, but Leona had a feeling it was going to be sooner than they thought. She really hoped that Libra would come soon before Angela went into labor.  If the baby was born in the mansion, who knows what the Mistress would do to them… 

When Leona entered the foyer, she noticed Sachie was at the front door, but she didn’t have her headband and bracelet.  She remembered during their conversation in the bath that yesterday was Sachie’s last day on the job. Since she no longer had the bracelet that would prevent her from leaving the mansion, she was probably heading out that morning.

While Leona wasn’t sad to see her go, she figured it wouldn’t hurt to say her goodbyes.  “Hey, Sachie. Are you heading out soon?”

The blue haired maid stared back at her with her usual carefree smile.  “Yep! I have a cab picking me up in a few minutes. Did you come to say goodbye to widdle ol’ me?”

Leona gave her a deadpanned look. Sachie really didn’t pull off the cutesy act too well.  “Way to make it weird, Sachie. But, yeah you’re right.”

“Awww that’s so sweet!  But, I kinda thought you hated me?”

She sighed when Sachie asked that.  While she was a major pain, she still gave her those helpful pointers that did help her survive the two weeks there.  “Look, I don’t hate you. I mean yeah, you are annoying as all heck, have a very bad gambling addiction and you’re an endless moocher, but that doesn’t mean I hate you with a passion.”

“Really? All those flaws do make me rather unlikable.”

“Look the point is, despite your shortcomings, your quick wits helped me get through this job alive and I really appreciate that.  However, when you leave here today, I hope you get some help for your gambling addiction and that you find yourself in a happier situation than you were here.”

The bluenette has a shocker look on her face, but it soon softened into a thoughtful smile.  “You… you really mean that?”

“I do.” Said Leona honestly.

“You know, despite being goody two shoes, you’re alright. Truth be told, you were a better senior towards Yukito and Yuuna than I ever was.  And I hope you guys make it out alright.”

Leona gave her a tender smile.  “Don’t worry, We’re all leaving here together.  You can count on it.”

The two women were startled out of their conversation by a car honking outside.  Sachie’s cab had arrived to take her down the mountain. “Ah shoot, that’s my ride.  But, before I go. I have to warn you, the Mamiya’s will still be up to their tricks even if it is your last day.  So, please… be careful.”

That sounded ominous, but Leona was used to the Mamiya’s games by then.  But Sachie still had a point. “I will.”

“Great.”  Sachie gave Leona a goodbye hug before she headed to the taxi.  “Welp, later gator. And remember what I said!”

Leona watched as the bluenette ran to her ride.  Even though the possibility of them seeing each other again was zero, she really did hope that Sachie did some soul searching.

 

After Sachie’s cab was no longer in sight she headed straight for the sub basement.  Even though Leona gone to that cold room more than a dozen times, it still didn’t make it easy for her.  There was so little she could do to ease the victims suffering and everytime she went to the sub basement to do her job she wishes she could do more.  Heck, Leona wasn’t even allowed to give them blankets to keep warm! The only thing she could do to give them at least a little bit of warmth was to hold onto their hands.  While they said they were thankful she was there and that she cared for them, to Leona it felt like it wasn’t enough. These victims deserved so much more than someone who cleaned up their waste and change their IVs.  Hopefully, more help would be just around the corner.

When Leona finished her rounds with the beyondians, she sat down to talk with the cat girl.  “Hi there, Angela. How are you feeling so far?”

She gave the petite blood breed a pained expression as she clutched her stomach.  “Ugh! Ow... I think I just started getting my Braxton Hicks, Leona. this baby’s getting impatient.”

Leona started to panic.  There was no way in hell that Angela was going to give birth in that prison.  “You don’t think you’re going into labor now, do you?”

“No, I don’t think so.  Once my water breaks then I’ll know the baby’s coming.  But if I’m getting Braxton Hicks, I feel like that could be any day now.”

If there was a time for Libra to raid the mansion, now was the time!  Angela giving birth at the estate was absolutely not an option. Leona wished there was something she could do to make her more comfortable.  But, the only thing she could do was to keep her calm.

“Try not to lose heart, Angela.  I know you’re scared, but I’m still holding onto my promise.  You and your child will get out of here!”

The scared car girl held onto Leona’s hand like a lifeline.  “You really are a saint, Leona… if it weren’t for you, I’d probably go crazy by now- oof!”

Leona tensed up.  “Are you okay?!”

“Ugh, yeah… but geez, this little one sure is a kicker!  Heh, maybe they’ll get into soccer in the future. I just hope they’ll have one.”

“Of course they will!”  Leona placed a hand on her belly as she began to talk to the child inside it.  “Try to be patient just a little longer, okay? You’ll be with your Mama soon enough.”

She felt a little kick beneath the skin, like the baby was giving her an answer.

“They’re thanking you for being here for us, Leona.”

The blood breed smiled at her friend then at her belly.  “Hehe, you’re welcome.”

 

Once Leona finished her job in the basement, she went to the dining room for breakfast.  The Mistress say in her usual spot as Her co-workers were already tucking in to their meals.  Of course, Yuuna was kind enough to leave Leona a plate of food.

“Good morning, everyone.”  Leona said in a professional manner.

The Mistress put down her cup of coffee and greeted her with a smile. “Good morning Leona!  Having a bit of a sleepy start to the day are we?”

“I thought I should get my caretaker job out of the way first, since it’s my last day and all.”

“Ah, so it is.  Time really does fly, doesn’t it?  Well, the end of your contract will be at twelve noon once you finished the rest of your duties.  Do you plan to leave then or later this evening?”

Leona stopped to think for a minute.  She knew that Libra would come for her, she didn’t know when.  Leaving the estate at noon would be to early. What she needed to do was to buy Libra some time.  Leona then looked to her two co-workers. Their contracts will only last till the next day. That gave her a good idea.

“Actually Ma’am, I was thinking of staying an extra day.  Since Yuuna and Yukito have one more day here it wouldn’t feel right to leave them here on their own.”

Her co-workers looked at her in surprise.  “Leo, are you sure you want to stay here tonight?” Asked Yukito.

“We wouldn’t want impose on you going home!”  Said Yuuna.

“It’s fine.  That way we can walk down the mountain together and part ways when we arrive at the station.”

Leona wasn’t entirely lying about her wanting to stay for one more night.  Not only would she give Libra some more time to think of a plan to raid the estate, she would be able to watch over Yuuna and Yukito as well as the beyondians.  She did not trust the Mamiya’s being alone with her co-workers for one minute.

The Mistress clearly had no objections to Leona staying.  She made that very clear by flashing her a sinister smile.  “Well, if you’re that insistent on spending the night here, I suppose you can stay until their contracts have expired.”

“Thank you, Madame.”

The Mistress stood up from her seat, ready to get back to her office. “Now, I’m sure you are itching to get the rest of your chores done.  Once you’re done with breakfast, you can get to work.”

Everyone’s eyes went her, immediately obeyed her word. “Yes, Ma’am.” 

They all scarfed down their meals so they can get started on the day’s tasks.

 

Leona only had to clean the ballroom floor, polish the silver and wash the foyer windows.  She knew from preparing for the party how time consuming waxing the ballroom floor was, so she decided to get that out of the way first.  Fortunately, that room wasn’t going to be in use for sometime and she didn’t have to clean it to the point where the floor turned into a mirror.  After a grueling two hours, she finally went on to polishing the silverware in the kitchen and that only took about an hour. By the time she was done with the windows, it was already noon.

Leona was ready to go back to her room to hang out with Sonic.  However, when she turned around the Mistress was already blocking her path. 

She was so startled that she accidentally dropped her wash rag.  “Oh! Ma’am! I’m sorry I didn’t hear you approaching. I just finished my last chore for the day.”

The Mistress smiled at her.  She seemed pleased with Leona’s hard work and seemed ready to relieve her of her duties.  But… “I see, you’ve done really well today. However, and I hate to ask since this was supposed to be your last task.  But could you be a dear and dust the reception room? It’s not too difficult, all you have to do is to just clean the surfaces and trinkets.”

She was silent for a moment.  Leona didn’t know how to respond to this request.  Her gut was telling her something was seriously wrong.  The timing of the Mistress’ appearance and when she was finished with her task seemed too coincidental.  The Mistress was scheming again, she just knew it! 

Leona was well aware she needed to heed Sachie’s warning, but she also had to know what Marie was up to.  “Sure, that won’t be a problem.”

The Mistress smirked as she clapped her hands together.  “Excellent! Once your done in there you can have the rest of the day off.  Now run along!”

Leona walked to the office, but not without a little reluctance.  Lady Mamiya seemed a little too excited that the blood breed was going to clean the office.  Yeah, something was definitely wrong with this scenario.

Once Leona entered the office, she began to proceed her dusting with caution.  While she was cleaning, she kept her eyes peeled for anything that would lead her into a trap.  But mostly, everything was perfectly normal. It’s not like there was a bomb hidden in the office or anything.  Perhaps it was just a last minute request after all?

When she was finished with the majority of the surfaces all that was left was a small end table with a large, oriental style vase.  The vase looked pretty expensive and the tabletop it was on seemed a bit unstable to hold something that big. Just to be sure, Leona held the decoration in place as she tried to wipe off the surface.  But the moment she began to use her wash rag on the end table… 

_ Snap! _

A very distinct cracking sound came from the table’s stand.  The top of the table began to wobble back and forth. Leona was caught off guard by the unstableness of the stand that she accidentally lost her grip on the vase.  She tried to get a hold on it again, but as she fumbled to try to get it back on the surface again, it was too late… 

Leona could only watch as the large vase fall to the floor.  Once it reached the ground, it completely shattered… 

she turned deathly pale and felt like she was going to throw up when she saw the damage that has been done.  “No, no, no, no! Shit!”

How could this have happened?!  The table looked fairly new, so what could have caused the stand to crack that easily?  Leona snapped out of her trance on the vase and inspected the stand. When she got a better look at the stand, she finally understood why the table was so rickety.  The stand was most definitely not affected by wood rot… it was deliberately cut! Now Leona had a full grasp on the situation. This was the reason why the Mistress wanted her to clean the reception room so badly.  

‘ _ No wonder a majority of the employees never made it home!  They all fell for the same trap just like I was! Just how desperate are these people?!” _

Leona was taken out of her thoughts when she heard the door slam open.  The Mistress, Yukito, and Yuuna all came rushing in. “Leona! What happened here-  Oh no! That was my favorite vase!”

Her co-workers were more concerned for Leona’s safety rather than the well being of some gaudy decoration. 

“Forget the vase!  Leo, are you alright?  The shards didn’t cut you, did they?” Asked Yukito.

“I’m okay, guys.  But Ma’am, it was totally an accident I swear!  The table was unbalanced and I just lost my grip on the vase.”

The Mistress let out a frustrated sigh, but her face softened afterward.  “Well, these things do happen. At least you weren’t hurt.”

In most cases, those words would have given Leona some sense of relief.  However, knowing the Mamiya’s, she knew there was a catch. 

“But…” She asked apprehensively.

“But, you still broke the vase even if it was an accident.  I’m afraid you’re going to have to pay me back.”

“I knew it.  So, how much do I owe you exactly?”

A wicked smile grew on the Mistress’ face.  The price wasn’t going to be cheap, that Leona felt certain.  “The vase itself was worth $95,000. That is how much you owe me.”

Even if Leona still had her pay, that still wouldn’t have been enough to pay the Mamiya’s back!  Of course The Mistress would make it impossible for her to pay for a damn vase!

Yuuna was well aware how unreasonable the price was and decided to voice her opinion bluntly. “That’s completely unfair!  You know that Leona doesn’t have that kind of money! Plus, there’s no way a vase would cost that much!”

The Mistress just smirked at the brunette. to her, it’s $95,000 if she says it’s $95,000 “Well, if Leona can’t pay me back she has no choice but to work here until her debt has been paid in full.  Unfortunately, I’ve already set up interviews to replace the three of you and I just can’t afford to keep you on, Leona.”

Yukito ground his teeth in anger.  He was 100% done with their nonsense.  “Bullshit! You guys have plenty of cash, what more could you possibly fucking want?!”

Lady Mamiya condescendingly wagged a finger at him.  “Tsk, tsk, tsk, such language, Yukito! Fortunately for Leona, she already has a potential buyer!  She will be in good hands I assure you.”

Leona thought it was rather quick, that she was able to find one so quickly.  Now she knew the events that took place was no mere coincidence. It all made sense!  The last minute chore, the faulty stand and the broken vase. The Mistress has been planning to make Leona a product all along!

Before she could attempt to put up a fight, she needed to know whom she was being sold to.  “Well, who’s my buyer then?”

“Fufufu!  Don’t worry it’s someone you got along with rather well.  Master Klaus Von Reinherz is rather fond of you. I’m sure you will be a lovely addition to his collection of dolls.”

Leona’s eyes opened wide.  Klaus was going to be the buyer.  So… that was going to be their plan… 

The corner of her mouth began to lift in a smile. Her shoulders started to shake as she began to laugh eerily.  “Heh… hehehehe….Hahahaha!”

The sound of Leona’s mad laughter was starting to frighten Yuuna terribly.  Yukito was also freaking out for his co-worker. The poor girl was having a mental breakdown right before their eyes, as she was about to be sold off to some pervert!  He couldn’t let this happen. He was sure he could persuade the Mistress into lowering the price. That way, he could pay back Leona’s debt with his own money and she would be safe.

“Wait!  Madame… would you be willing to lower the price to $80,000?  If you could do that, I will gladly give you back the money you gave me.”

The Mistress’ grin faltered but she was willing to hear him out.  “Hmmm… perhaps $95,000 does seem rather pricey even for some old vase.  So, I guess-”

“NO!”

Both Lady Mamiya and Yukito were shocked by Leona’s response.  He didn’t understand. Why would she say no to his offer?! Didn’t Leona realize He was trying to save her life?!  However, Leona knew something that he didn’t. She understood what her co-worker was trying to do for her, but this wasn’t his fight.

“I… I’ll go with Mr. Von Reinherz.”

Yukito ran up to Leona and grabbed her by the shoulders.  “You can’t be serious, Leo? Don’t you understand!? Even if this guy was nice to you at the party, to him you were still nothing but a toy!  If you go through with this, you’ll be a slave for the rest of your life with no chance of ever making it back home! You’ll never-”

“Yukito!”

He stopped his rant when Leona shouted his name.  Her face softened as she slowly approached her friend.  She placed her hands on his cheeks and looked at him directly in the eyes as she spoke calmly to him.

“Yukito… It’s going to be okay… do you trust me?”

In that moment, Yukito could only stop and stare into her eyes… her real eyes.  And in those eyes he saw the truth. He truly understood who she was and why she was such mystery.  But, instead of feeling mistrust, he believed in her wholeheartedly and respected her decision.

He slowly removed his hands from Leona’s shoulda and backed up to be with Yuuna.  “O… okay… I trust you.”

Yuuna stared at her boyfriend in shock.  “What?! B-but Yukito! Won’t she-”

Yukito held her hand and gave her a calm but serious look.  “Don’t worry, Leo will be alright. Come on, we should get back to work.  Sorry for all the fuss, Ma’am.”

He opened the door and quickly sprinted out of the office with his girlfriend in tow.  When they finally reached the sanctity of the kitchen, Yuuna tugged her hand away from Yukito’s grasp.  She had no idea what was going through her boyfriend’s mind or Leo’s for that matter. He was about to help her out of a crippling debt but then he quietly agreed to leave her alone.  What on earth were they thinking?!

“Yukito, why did you leave Leona behind like that?  Now she’s going to end up like Mikako and Makoto!”

Yukito placed a finger over lips to try to keep her quiet.  To be honest, he was still feeling a tad unsure that he was doing the right thing.  However, and he knew this sounded crazy, he trusted Leona was going to be alright. Because… 

“I know this might sound completely insane, Yuuna.  But, I think Leo knows what she’s doing. Like, she expected this to happen and knows the outcome in the end.”

His girlfriend just stared at him in confusion.  How could possibly know that Leona would be okay?

“But, how could be so sure?  I mean, I know she’s from Hellsalem’s Lot and all, but she’s just a normal girl!”

Yukito shook his head.  “Actually, no… she’s not.”

“What?  Yukito, what are you talking about?”

The ravenette looked out the window as he tried to gather his thoughts.  He was still trying to figure out what he saw in the reception room. But… those eyes… they definitely weren’t normal eyes. 

“I… I can’t really explain it, but… Leo… I don’t think she’s entirely human.”

Yuuna just looked at her boyfriend with a stunned expression.  “I don’t understand. What do you mean she’s not human?”

“Like I said, I don’t really know.  But when I looked into her eyes… they looked so bizarre and they appeared to be made out of glass.  And this is gonna sound crazy but, I think she knew what the Mamiya’s were like even before we all came to this mansion.  Leona is here for a reason, Yuuna. And it’s not for the money.”

Even though Yukito tried his best to explain the situation to his girlfriend, the vagueness didn’t help to ease her nerves.  She really didn’t like to be kept in the dark with Leona’s current issue. However, Yukito seemed just as lost as she was. They were both afraid of not knowing more about their co-worker and if they really should trust her judgment.  But, by the tone of her voice, her mind was made up and was prepared for what was to come.

“What should we do now?” Asked Yuuna nervously.

Yukito put her hands in his.  He didn’t have a definite answer.  This all happened so fast that he was kind of at a loss at what to do.  However, Leona would probably tell them to stay out of sight for a while.  “I’m not sure, but we should stay put in the kitchen for the time being. Better yet, we should hide in the pantry.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling in my gut that something is about to happen and Leo wouldn’t want us to get caught in the crosshairs…”

 

_ Meanwhile... _

Klaus and Steven were on their way to the mansion, ahead of the Daniel Law and the SWAT team.  The rest of Libra were in their own respective vehicles right behind their leaders as backup. However, the two gentlemen were absolutely sure that any sort of backup won’t be necessary. Libra would just take part in raiding the files for the missing victims outside the estate.  

The plan was that once Klaus and Steven has apprehended the Mamiya’s, they would signal the go head to overrun the mansion.  Steven had the message at the ready on his smartphone. He kept it safe in his pocket with his thumb right over the send button.  Not only was this the go head signal, this was also precaution for Libra to step in, in case something went wrong. Better to be safe than sorry.

Even though Klaus was eager to get to the estate, he was relatively calm.  Since Libra and the police went over the plan over a dozen times the past evening and early that morning, they were confident everything was gonna go their way.

Steven was rather impressed with how relaxed his friend was.  “Seriously, Klaus I thought for sure you would go over the speed limit by now.  You’re not anxious at all?”

Without taking his eyes off the road he answered Steven honestly.  “I am, but we’ve gone over the raid so many times that I believe we’ll be okay.  Once we’re inside and come across the daughters, you will plant your needles of absolute zero inside their bodies and incapacitate them.  Just leave the Mistress to me.”

“But what about the boy?”

“He’s the most anti-social and the weakest amongst the Mamiya’s. Once the main three have been apprehended, the police can take care of him.”

“Got it… we’re here.”

The Manson’s gate was already wide open, indicating the Mistress was expecting Klaus’ visit.  He parked the car outside the gate. That way the SWAT vehicles can get in and block any exits if the Mistress or her son tried to escape.

Once the car was safely parked, the two gentlemen got out of the vehicle and made their way to the double doors.  “Do you have your weapons at the ready, Klaus?”

The redhead lifted his sleeve.  His knuckle duster was safely tucked away and he was also wearing his arm guard underneath.  “I always have them ready. And you, Steven?”

Steven chuckled at his question as he tapped the toes of his shoes.  “Yep, all good to go.”

Soon they were at the door of the estate.  Klaus rang the doorbell as they waited for someone to answer.  Whoever was supposed to be answering the door were taking their time.  About six minutes have passed and no one came to answer the call.

Now Klaus was starting to get a little anxious.  “Should we just go in, Steven? The lady of the house is expecting us, after all.”

Before Steven could answer, the door began to open for them.  And to their surprise, Marika and Marisa were there to welcome the gentlemen.  Klaus and Steven’s anxieties quickly dissipated. This was turning out better than they had expected.

Marika gave them a warm smile and greeted them politely.  “You must be Mr. Von Reinherz! Mother has been expecting you.  Please come in, her office is right this way.”

However, before they could cross the threshold, Marisa blocked the entrance with her arm.  “Wait! Who the hell are you? I thought Reinherz was supposed to be the only one coming today?”

Klaus had a feeling the youngest daughter would be difficult.  Fortunately, he expected this and he knew what to do. “This is Steven A. Starphase, my good friend and business partner.  I invited him to accompany me this afternoon, albeit at the last minute.”

Steven bowed slightly at the Mamiya sisters.  “Pleased to make your acquaintance. I’m sorry for showing up unannounced, but after what Klaus told me about the little lady he played with at your mother’s soirée, I just had to see her for myself.”

Marisa stared at the scar faced man for a minute, but then she smirked.  “Ha! Well isn’t she a lucky girl!”

Marika frowned at her sister’s vulgarity.  “Marisa, don’t be rude to our guests! I’m really sorry for making you both wait out here.  The servants were supposed to answer the door but we have no idea where they are.”

Marisa huffed as she lifted her nose in the air.  “Hmph! They’re probably just being lazy since it’s their last day.”

Klaus just dismissed the youngest daughter with a wave of his hand.  Actually, he was glad that Leona’s co-workers were out of the way. It was for the best that they weren’t caught in the crossroads of a predictably ugly confrontation.

“Oh, I’m sure they are just busy with another task.  Besides, this is most opportune since we get to properly meet Lady Marie’s lovely daughters face to face.”

Steven smirked.  This was a very convenient bout of luck.  The universe was really on their side that day!

The sisters blushed at Klaus’ flattering words.  Marika brushed a strand of hair behind her ears, as she stepped out of the way for the gentlemen to enter the foyer.  “Yes well, if you gentlemen could come in, we will gladly escort you to the reception room.”

Klaus immediately stepped forward.  “That would be wonderful, thank you.  After you, Steven.”

“Thank you Kla-woah!”  As soon as Steven crossed the threshold, he soon tripped and nearly fell on top of Marisa.  She quickly backed out of the way before he could.

Marisa didn’t take too kindly to the ice user’s clumsiness.  “Watch it! I just got this dress!”

Steven Immediately got back his bearings, but rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.  “Ah, sorry! It’s these new loafers, I haven’t gotten used to them yet.”

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Asked the eldest daughter with concern.

“Eh, just my pride.  Don’t worry about it.”

Klaus knew that his friend was more than okay.  Steven tripped on purpose. He had seen his friend use this trick more than once while on missions.  Even though he only did a light tap of his shoes to activate the needle on the soles, he sometimes needed to trip in order to trick his targets.  The blood needles must have made their way through the sisters’ veins by the time they were fussing over Steven. The trap was set.

The eldest daughter was anxious to get Klaus to the reception room, so she decided to cut to the chase.  “Well, as long as you are not hurt Mr. Starphase, shall we go the reception room?”

“Actually Ms. Marika, That won’t be necessary…” Klaus said ominously.

“Excuse me?”

“Huh?  What do you mean it’s not-”

“STEVEN, NOW!” 

“Esmeralda Blood Freeze! Aguja del Cero Absoluto! (Needles of Absolute Zero)”

In a matter of seconds, the Mamiya sisters were completely frozen in place.  Both were in agony as the icy needles were piercing through every pore in their bodies.  As much as they tried to break free of their frosty prison, there was no escape. Only Steven had the power to set them free.  Which, he wasn’t going to do anytime soon.

Marika tried to speak through the freezing pain, but could only stutter her words.  “Eh?-w-w-what d-d-did you d-do?!”

“I-I c-can’t-mmm-move! Wh-what -th-the fffuu-”

Steven just laughed. “Heheh… I have to admit, I’m impressed you Mamiya’s have been really clever in staying afloat this long.  But unfortunately, you’re not clever enough.”

Marisa tried to sneer at Steven, but because of the frost it only hurt her more.  “Huh? Wh-wha d-d-do you mmmm-mean, sss-scar face?”

Klaus stepped up next to his companion and stared at the daughters dead straight in the eyes.  “All this time you thought you had this country’s justice system wrapped around your fingers. It really breaks my heart to know how cowardly the outside’s law enforcers have become.  However, your family has made a  **grave** mistake in getting the people of Hellsalem’s Lot involved in your cruel schemes.  Not only that, it was foolish to think you can sell off my Leona to the highest bidder and get away with it.”

Marika’s eyes widened through the frost.  She began to connect the dots and everything was beginning to make sense.

“Y-y-you… you c-can’t be her-”

“Boyfriend?”  Steven interjected as he proudly slapped a hand on his back as he smirked at the look on the elder sister’s face.  “The one and only!”

“B-b-b-but….how?  H-h-how are you her b-b-boyfriend?! Y-y-you o-only just mmm-met her at the p-p-party!”

“Actually, I’ve known her for over a year now.”

Klaus was about to say more but, Steven was quick to remind they had bigger fish to fry.  “And as much as we would like to tell you about the greatest love story ever told, we do have a previous engagement.  You don’t mind if we go to the reception room ourselves, do you ladies? Come along, Klaus.”

Marisa tried to struggle in the frost as Klaus and Steven walked away to find the Mistress’s office, but to know avail.  “P-p-please… y-y-you to are o-ooo-only ffff-fooling yourselves! W-w-we’ll be walking away f-f-from this j-just like the mm-many times b-before!”

Klaus stopped in his tracks.  He turned around and faced Marisa with a look that would kill her in a matter of seconds.  “You underestimate us Ms. Marisa. You see, unlike most law enforcers, Libra takes crimes like yours very seriously.  Even if you are pardoned by the courts, which I highly doubt,  _ we  _ will be the ones to punish you accordingly… and that’s a promise.”

 

_ Meanwhile… _

Something was off.  The Mistress and Leona were sitting in silence for a while, just waiting for the client to come and pick her up.  Over the years, Marie had witnessed employee after employee falling into despair every time they fell into her trap.  Each one would end up in a world of endless of sexual slavery to the most wealthy and perverted clients she knew. Seeing the looks of hopelessness on their faces and the small fortune she would gain in return, never failed to pleasure her like a young man’s virginity being taken.  However, Leona was perfectly calm. She just kept looking at the clock, or just checking her nails for any dirt and grime like she was waiting in line to buy groceries! Well, The Mistress was just going to have to fix that, wouldn’t she?

“You’ve been awfully quiet, my dear.  Feeling a bit anxious, are we?” Said the Mistress mockingly.

Leona just gave her a deadpan stare.  She was so over her little mind games by then.  “No, I’m not. And you can drop your condescending bullshit now.  I know how much you really hate me and that you really don’t care if I live or I die in the care of my new employee.”

The Mistress was absolutely fuming.  How could she still remain so stubborn?!  Didn’t she know what kind of life that lay ahead of her?!  But, you know what, that was okay. Marie took a deep breath as she composed herself.  She still had an ace up her sleeve. If that wouldn’t make Leona fall into despair, she didn’t know what did.

“Hmmm?  I’m surprised you feel this way, Leona.  Surely your sweet boyfriend will be positively heartbroken of your absence.  He will be forever waiting for your return with no hope of you ever going home!”

The Mistress walked in front of Leona.  Kneeling in front of her till they were nose to nose with one another.  She smirked as she was about to land the finishing blow. “Tell me, how does that make you feel?”

Leona returned the smirk.  Oh, if she only knew… “hmhmhm… oh, don’t worry.  He will be just fine.”

Marie’s shoulders were shaking with rage.  Any composure she had was completely gone in that instant.  Normally, she was beneath throwing tantrums like her youngest daughter, but this was infuriating!  She took her perfectly manicured hand and struck Leona across the face. The Mistress then held her by the collar of her uniform, hand still shaking in anger.

“What is wrong with you?!  Don’t you realize the situation you’re in?!  You will live the rest of your life as a sex slave with no hope of getting out!  If I had sold off one of your friends, they would have given up on life completely by now!  Are you really going to keep up your stubborn streak to the very end?!”

In her fury, The Mistress landed a blow right in Leona’s gut.  She gasped at the pain when she dropped to the floor. Fortunately, she didn’t vomit from the impact but a trail of drool was dripping down her chin.  Marie dug her heel into Leona’s back, knocking her over. She wasn’t going to let some runt maid think she’s got the best of her.

The Mistress fixed her hair as she calmed herself down from her outburst.  She kneeled down beside Leona’s writing body as she spoke in a calming voice.  “Don’t you see, Leona? I’ve won… for ages my family had always won. No matter how many times you pathetic commoners think you have the upper hand, we will always come out on top.  And there is nothing you or your little friends can do about it.”

The Mistress stood above Leona in triumph.  Finally, it was about time that the little minx knew her place.  The sight of Leona shaking in pain was a sight that moved her than any work of art could.  And the sound of her heart wrenching sobs were music to her ears. It was absolutely perfect!  The self-proclaimed “hero” has finally fallen.

However… little did The Mistress know, that it wasn’t the sound of crying that she heard.

“Ah… ahhhh. Ha… hahaha….HAHAHAHAHA!!  So… the claws have finally come out, huh?  **GOOD!** ”

On shaky legs, Leona got herself back on her feet.  She has been looking forward to this moment for some time.  “Now that we are done with all the false pleasantries, I think it’s high time I show you my true form.”

The Mistress was confused for a moment, but she soon realized what Leona meant.  The petite maid’s back looked like it was pulsing, or like something was trying to break free.  The Mistress heard a loud rip coming from the maid uniform and much to her disturbance, noticed two red tumors emerging from Leona’s back.  But no… actually, those looked like red feathers! The next wave happened in an instant. The sheer force of the red wings tore the uniform to shreds!  Soon enough, pristine white fur began to grow on Leona’s arms and legs, followed by a white tail that looked like it belonged to a cat, or perhaps a spider monkey!  The growth of the fur ripped away at the stockings, leaving them obsolete. Because of the black velvet padding on her feet, she couldn’t fit in her heels anymore so she just tossed them aside.  Lastly, Leona flashed her vampiric red all-seeing-eyes of the gods in their target’s direction. There she was… In front of the Mistress was Leona. Standing tall in all of her blood breed glory.

Marie was completely dumbfounded.  She couldn’t believe what she was seeing!  Leona was a beyondian! “You… you’re one of them!  You’re one of those creatures too!”

Leona just laughed.  “More or less, I suppose.”

The Mistress didn’t know what to think.  All this time she had a feeling that her new employee was unusual.  But, now she understood why Leona was so close to the “merchandise”.  “Ha… hahaha! If I would have known sooner, you would have fit in well with the others!  Stupid bitch, because you foolishly decided to show your true self, your handler will never let you go.  I may have to raise your price now! And it’s all thanks to you!”

Leona’s brows stayed in a straight line, not all fazed by The Mistress’s rant.  “Trust me, I’m not like the beyondians you’ve held captive. In fact, if you did succeed in capturing me… well, let’s just say, you would have a rather difficult time trying to tame me…”

Marie just scoffed.  Just what on earth did this freak think she was?  “Please, I think I know you well enough to know you’re not that cocky, my dear.  You can’t be that different from the rest of those monsters?”

“Actually, I am.” Leona stated.  “While I was human once, a few unfortunate events changed all that…”. She paused as the memories of that day played through her mind like a movie.  While it caused her heart to ache from the pain of her brother sacrificing his sight for her and the torment her sire caused, Leona was no longer ashamed of who she was.  Those experiences while sad at first, changed her for the better, and even helped saved innocent lives.

“Marie Mamiya, I am the blood breed, possessor of the all-seeing-eyes of the gods, Merciful Red!”

The Mistress began to feel the intimidation of the petit vampire, just the name “blood breed” was enough to make her realize she was different from the others.  However, she was still too proud to actually let Leona think she had the upper hand. “Ha, so what? Just how does your title make you so special?”

“A blood breed is a genetically modified vampire capable of superhuman strength, agility, and regeneration.  While most of my kind gain their powers through the senseless killing of innocent huma, I took a personal oath to never kill any of my prey.”

Marie couldn’t believe what she just heard.  This… monster, the very monster who claims to have the power to overcome and kill anyone in her house, was admitting to never killing anyone!  She couldn’t help but find this hilarious.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Oh, that’s rich!  You, who have the ability to kill each and every one of us here, had let that opportunity slip by!  My god Leona, you are a fool! You could have saved those servants that you proclaimed to have “cared” so much about! Hahahaha!  Well, I guess you didn’t care enough then, didn’t you?”

Leona had her head down.  Her bangs hiding the tears that were starting to well up in her eyes.  Lips quivering as her fists clenched, claws tearing into her skin to the point of bleeding.  The Mistress was right… she had more than enough opportunities to get everyone out of that hell.  She could have forced Chris to escape despite his wishes to stay behind for his wife… but she didn’t.  She could have done more to prevent Yukito and Yuuna from stepping foot onto estate grounds, despite the Mistress’s threats… but she didn’t.  She could have prevented Yukihiro Nonohara’s death by fighting off the Mistress, giving him and his family enough time to remove the bracelets and escape… but she didn’t.  So many lives could have been saved and the suffering could have ended if Leona wasn’t just following orders! But they happened… and there wasn’t anything she could do to change that.

However, there were plenty of opportunities that she took, that she was proud of.  She took care of Chris and became a friend to him in his final moments in earth. She gave the prisoners hope and was doing everything in her power to save them.  But the one thing she was the proudest of, was saving Mikako and Makoto Nonohara from separation and an endless life of sexual slavery. Leona was able to save lives that were trapped in the Mamiya mansion!  And she was not done yet… 

the Mistress finally came off of her laughing high, as she fixed her hair and took something that looked like a remote control from her dress.  She was waving it around as if she was teasing Leona like she was a cat waiting for her to pounce on a toy.

“Well like it or not, despite being what you are, you are still going with Klaus Von Reinherz.  Even if you do have haha, “powers” I hold, not only your life, but the lives of Yukito and Yuuna in my hands. With the push of a button I can electrocute them into submission, or detonate the explosive device in the bracelets.  Leaving them as nothing but a pile of ground meat. If you know what’s good for either of you, you will-”

Before The Mistress could finish her sentence, Leona miraculously appeared in front of The Mistress.  And before she even realized it her wrist was in the blood breed’s hand. As if it were a feeble twig, snapped said wrist with the very strength that Marie foolishly mocked.  Before she even had a chance to scream in pain, Leona tackled Marie to the ground with her knee dug into her stomach. She tried to get to the remote control, but the petite blood breed quickly grabbed it and threw it far from The Mistress’s reach.  Marie was shaking as she was facing the monster before her.

“H-how did you-”

“You underestimated me, Lady Mamiya.  As I said, I’m not like the vampires from myth and legend!  The ability I used just now, I actually learned from my familiar, who happens to be a sonic speed monkey.  You were just to slow for me.”

The Mistress tried to struggle underneath Leona’s weight, but to no avail.  For someone so small she made herself more heavy than she appeared. However, Marie Mamiya still wasn’t one to give up that easily, despite her situation.  She could still break Leona if she could.

“Ha well, it would seem you finally caught me!  The question is, what will you do now? Will you kill me right here right now? Or will you let me go, like all those times before?  You might as well get it over with! Well, come on! Do it! I dare you!”

Instead of the sweet embrace of death, The Mistress was met with a fist full of pain.  Leona took her claws and scratched her across the face, that would no doubt leave a very nasty scar.

“Oww!  You little-”

“You’re actually right for once!”  Leona interrupted. “I had all those chances to kill you and your family.  All those lives could have been saved if I had just acted on my instincts… but I didn’t.  But, I wanted to…. I wanted to so much, it hurt. I wanted to kill you, when you when you eliminated Chris to sell his heart to some rich asshole who would no doubt take it for granted!  I wanted to kill you, when you showed me the remaining beyondians strapped to those cold iron tables in your basement! But most of all… I wanted. To kill. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THAT GODDAMN BALLROOM, WHEN YOU FORCED MIKAKO TO  **FUCK** HER OWN SON!!! YOU… you don’t know how much I wanted to…”

Leona’s tears fell on The Mistress’s face.  The salt from the tears were stinging the wounds on her face.  The sociopath still scoffed at Leona, even after she poured her heart out to her.

“Heh, so why don’t you just take my blood and be done with me?”

Leona gave her victim a steely eyed glare.  “Like hell I will… you’re bloodline is so tainted, it’s practically poison!  And as for me killing you? As much as I  _ desperately  _ want to, I will not!  For as long as I remain as Merciful Red, I will never break my code of honor!”

The Mistress let out a pained chuckle.  “Playing the hero to the very end, huh?”

“Yeah…”  said Leona, her voice trembling.  “I guess I am. And even though I will not kill you, there are a few things I can do.”

“And what’s that?”

“This!”  Leona took her fist and drove it right into Marie’s gut.  The impact caused her to throw up her morning meal. It was so strong that it left her trembling.  One would think that after that, she would leave the lady alone. However, she was far from done.

“That was for the pain and torment you’ve caused Chris and Layla!”

She raised her fist again, preparing for the second blow.  “This is for all the people you’ve either held hostage, sold, and/or killed for profit!” 

Leona gave the Mistress two punches to the gut.  Before she could even clutch her stomach in comfort, the blood breed grabbed her by the choker necklace and looked her dead straight in the eye.  “And this… this is for all the past generations of victims and for all their sorrows that this family from hell has caused!”

The final blow was what finally done it.  The Mamiya matriarch wasn’t dead of course.  But, she was left completely unconscious. Leona stood over her body breathless and fatigued.

She was immediately taken out of her rage fueled high by the loud bang of the double doors being kicked open.  Klaus and Steven ran into the office, ready for a fight with the Mistress. But, they were stopped in their tracks to see their colleague in her blood breed beast mode standing over a less-than-conscious Marie Mamiya.  

Steven whistled over the scene before them.  “I guess we missed the show, Klaus.”

The red headed giant was more concerned for his half-naked girlfriend.  She didn’t even react to Steven’s joke. She just stared at them blankly as if she was catatonic.  “Leona, are you all right?”

She didn’t know how to answer his question.  She was still so angry, hurt and tired from the whole ordeal, it was hard to respond.  However, Klaus soon got his answer when Leona soon started crying again. All the frustration and mixed emotions she held inside her along with the fatigue from from her fight with The Mistress, came out in heart wrenching sobs.  She just wanted to go home and forget the whole mission all together.

Klaus quickly walked up to Leona and wrapped his large frame around her. He stroked her long mane as he whispered words of comfort to her. “Shhh… it’s alright mein schatz… it’s over now… it’s over.”


	24. Chapter 24

When Leona finally calmed down, Klaus gave her some clothes that she left back in the city.  It felt great to be back in her black jumpsuit and sneakers again. Heck, it just felt great to get out of that bloody god awful uniform.  When Leona was dressed, she went to her room to fetch Sonic and her backpack. As she got her things, Steven and Klaus managed to find the code that deactivated the bracelets of everyone on the estate grounds.  The Mistress was still out cold, but was immediately handcuffed by Steven so she wouldn’t cause any trouble when she came to. Soon enough, the SWAT vehicles crashed through the gate and the team promptly invaded the mansion and apprehended the Mamiya family.  Steven unfroze the sisters and were handcuffed by Detective Law’s men. Kenichi was also cuffed and arrested when some of the SWAT team entered the mansion. He didn’t take it lying down of course, but he was still no match for Law’s men. The family were all forced in one of the vehicles and were immediately headed to Hellsalem’s Lot.

Once the family was away from the vicinity of the estate, everyone got to work.  One Group that included Libra immediately ran to the reception room. They needed to go through all files containing information on the beyondians who were still missing on the outside of Hellsalem’s Lot and the Mamiya Estate, or dead.  Not only that, they needed their financial records containing the transactions between the Mamiya’s and their clients/benefactors. That way they would also try to convict more of the Mamiya’s associates aiding them in buying and selling off beyondians.

The second SWAT group was lead by Leona, Klaus and Steven.  She was to lead the team down to the basement and free the remaining missing persons being held captive.  While Klaus was comforting Leona, Steven managed to find all the codes that opened up the different chambers and cells in the basement, not just the Beyondian’s chamber.  This way different groups can go in the chambers to rescue the victims. The crew helped the missing beyondians out of their shackles and carried them to the emergency vehicles.  They checked out some of the other cells too and as it turned out, huma were also in the same position as the beyondians and were also promptly taken to the ambulances waiting outside.  Leona remembered where Layla’s cell was at and had Steven and Klaus follow her. Even though Steven remembered the awful state of Chris’ wife in the evidence footage, he still found it hard watch.  Klaus was horrified and saddened by how this sweet woman was being treated. And, just like she was when Chris went to see her, she made no response. The ice user stepped into the cell and placed his coat over the expectant mother and carried her out of her disgusting prison.

He took a deep sigh and said, “I’ll make sure she’s taken to Bradbury General right away.”

“Yes, please do.”  Said Leona.

She looked at the woman being carried in Steven’s arms.  She held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, hoping that she’ll be okay once she was at the hospital.  The three of them went the emergency vehicles immediately and handed Layla over to the paramedics. They told him that they would do everything they can to help the woman and her unborn child.  Since they didn’t make any promises he figured that Layla was far from out of the woods. The only thing that Klaus, Leona and Steven could do was hope for the best.

The remaining SWAT men were able to find Yukito and Yuuna hiding in the kitchen pantry.  The couple were scared at first, but the officers treated them well. They even offered to let the paramedics check them out, just to make sure they were okay.  

Leona ran over to her co-workers, who were sitting in the back of the ambulance.  Yunna got up from her seat and immediately gave her a hug. “Oh Leona! Thank god you’re okay!  She didn’t hurt you did she?”

The petite blood breed chuckled a bit.  “She did hit me a few times for staying so calm, but I made sure I left a permanent mark on her stupid, pretty face.  Which probably won’t be pretty anymore.”

Yukito smiled as he got up from the back of the truck.  “Damn, that must have been hardcore. I would have loved to see that!

The trio laughed, glad that the Mamiya’s were finally getting what they deserved.  Then it turned to awkward silence. Yukito rubbed the back of his neck, as he tried to figure out what to say to his friend.  “So… um, I guess we finally know the reason why you came here. Are you… like some secret government agent or something and did you know that these guys were coming?”

The ravenette wasn’t angry or annoyed when he asked.  However, he was a little embarrassed and a little freaked out as well.  He did spend his first week picking on a potential government spy, afterall.  He had every right to be antsy.

Leona just smiled at his question.  “You’re not entirely wrong. I’m not a government agent, but I am an agent for an organization in Hellsalem’s Lot.  Basically, we try to protect the balance between the huma and alter worlds. Because beyondians have been disappearing from the city over the past year and a half.  We discovered that the Mamiya’s advertisements for servant and maid positions were part of the cause. So I was sent here to not only gather evidence of the family’s crimes but to find the missing persons.”

The couple slowly sat back down again, their eyes the size of dinner plates.

“Woah… that's… intense!” Said Yukito breathlessly.

“So, everything about you being a college student and needing the money was a lie?” asked Yuuna, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Leona sighed, but she understood why her friend would feel a bit betrayed.  “Please, don’t take this personally Yunna. I never intended to lie to you guys out of cruelty.  I was undercover and I couldn’t tell anyone about my mission, be it friend or foe. Besides, even if I was given permission to talk about my assignment, I doubt either of you would believe me.  Yes, I did lie saying I was a student, but it was all for a good reason. But, I promise that I really do care about you guys and I wanted to keep you safe. Since you two were under threat of becoming the Mamiya’s next  set of merchandise, I needed to make sure that they wouldn’t touch you during my stay. I know this is very overwhelming information but please believe me when I say I really do consider you two as my friends.”

Both of her co-workers were quiet for a minute.  But soon, Yukito started nodded his head. “We understand.  Yeah, we probably would have thought you were joking. And heck, after the way I treated you last week, I wouldn’t blame you for not trusting me.”

Yuuna lifted her head and smiled at the blood breed.  “You were on a mission and were required to keep it a secret, otherwise, the Mamiya’s would have caught on to you.  I know you didn’t lie to us, because you didn’t trust us. You were just undercover and needed to play the part you were given by your bosses.”

“That is correct, Miss.” 

Leona turned around to see Klaus, Steven and Detective Law standing behind her.  She figured they must have finished seeing to most of the beyondians who were on their way back to Hellsalem’s Lot.  When Klaus came into Yukito’s view, he looked at him closely. He looked familiar somehow, but couldn’t pinpoint where he may have seen him.

“Hey um, don’t I know you from somewhere?  I feel like a may have seen you here before but I can’t remember when.”

Klaus bowed at the waist in front of the confused couple.  “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Klaus Von Reinherz and this is my partner Steven Starphase.  You did see me, but we did not properly met. I participated the auction during the party a few days ago.”

The gears were turning in the young man’s head.  Even though the events of the party left him completely exhausted, he did recall someone by that name, won two of the merchandise during the auctions.  Then it hit him.

“Wait… You were the guy that won Mikako and Makoto, weren’t you?”

“That’s right, young man.”

Yuuna’s eyes opened wide as they started to water.  “If you took them home that night, does that mean Mikako and Makoto-”

“Are both fine.” interjected Steven.  “The Nonohara’s are staying at Bradbury General Hospital even as we speak undergoing some much needed treatment.”

Yuuna began sobbing in Yukito’s arms, relieved that the mother and son were out of harm’s way.  “They’re okay! Oh, thank goodness!”

Yukito was getting misty eyed as well.  He really grew to like the Nonohara’s and was glad they no longer had to live a life of servitude. 

The detective cleared his throat.  While he was touched by the moving scene, he did have a job to do.  “I hate to interrupt, but I do need to ask you two some questions.”

Yukito held Yuuna tight.  “We won’t have to go to Hellsalem’s Lot, do we?  We want to help however we can. But, after everything that’s happened, we really just want to go home.”

“Don’t worry kids, it won’t take long.  Since you guys are victims too, I do need statements from the both of you.  We can escort you guys back home once we’re done here.”

“He’ll treat you right, don’t worry.” said Leona.

Yukito and Yuuna looked at each other silence, then gave their consent to participate to Daniel.  After everything they went through those past few weeks, they were more than willing to give out anything they knew about the Mamiya’s.  But before they spoke to the detective, the couple gave Leona a goodbye hug.

“Take care, Leo.” said Yukito.

“We’ll keep in touch.” said a teary eyed Yuuna.

“Don’t worry, everything is going to be alright now.  Look out for each other, okay?”

After one last hug, Leona, Klaus and Steven walked away from the ambulance, leaving the detective to talk to the couple.  As soon as they were away from the Ambulance, Steven’s phone began to buzz in his pocket.

“Chain, what’s the situation?  Uh huh….uh huh…. Yeah, I figured that would be the case….  Sure that won’t be a problem….. Just take all the time you need, I’ll be up there to help you guys out….  Sure, I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“Is everything okay, Steven.” Asked Klaus.

“Apparently, they found more files on the missing beyondians.  The Mamiya’s have millions of these files, so it’s going to take us a while to get through all of them and sort through the ones that label the victims that are deceased and the ones that are still alive/missing.  We might have to stay here for the night to get through all of them, along with going into their financial records.”

“Understood Steven.  Would you like us to assist you?”

Steven just scoffed.  “Please, you and Leona have done more than enough.  Just go back home and get some rest. But before you do that, Young Lady, as soon as you enter the city, I require you to go to Bradbury General Hospital to meet with Dr. Estevez.  I know you’re self-healing abilities are top notch, but because of the drugs that were put in the food, we need to make sure that you’re okay. I already made an appointment for you.”

Leona nodded in agreement.  She also wanted to go to the hospital to check up on the Nonohara’s.  Even though it’s only been a few day, she wanted to make sure that they were doing alright.  “Thanks Steven, I will.”

Klaus and Leona were ready to head to the car, but before they left…

“Oh!  And Leona…”. Steven approached the petite brunette and ruffled her hair.  “Job well done. You should be very proud.”

Leona blushed at Steven’s praise.  “Hehe, thank you. I’m glad you guys trusted me with this mission, even if I flubbed up half the time.”

The ice user placed a hand on her shoulder.  “Nonsense, I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job.  Besides, you did your best and you saved these people’s lives.  That’s all that matters. Now, go home, get yourself checked out and get some rest.  You’ve earned it.” He then turned to his friend. “That means you too, Klaus.”

The red headed giant rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.  “Uh, of course, Steven.”

Klaus was taken out of his embarrassment when Leona held his hand and gave him a gentle smile.  “Come on, Honey. Let’s go home.”

He smiled then he put a hand around her waist.  “That sounds good to me, my dear.”

When they got to Klaus’ convertible, he opened the passenger door for her as he bowed at the waist.  “Your chariot awaits, Milady.”

“Hehe!  Ever the gentleman, Klaus.”

Once the car started, the couple were well on their way down the mountain.  Leona closed her eyes as she felt the wind flow through her long mane. It felt like freedom.  After two long agonizing weeks of the hell that the Mamiya’s created, she was finally, FINALLY going home.

 

Of course, before Leona and Klaus could go back to his penthouse, she still needed to visit Dr. Estevez for her checkup.  As soon as they entered the city, the couple went straight to the hospital where Luciana was waiting for them. Her child form was in the lobby waving at Leona and her boyfriend.

“Hey Leo! I’m so glad to see you’ve made it back!”

She ran up to the doctor and lifted her up in a hug.  Even though Dr. Estevez wasn’t an official member, she was still a part of the Libra family.  And Leona would be lying if she said she didn’t miss her too.

“Luciana!  It’s good to see you too!”

“Hahahaha! Okay, okay, okay!  Let’s go to my office and see if you’re feeling alright.”

Fortunately for Leona, her appointment went faster than expected.  Dr. Estevez checked all her vitals and she was still healthy despite.  Well, least for blood breed standards anyway. However, there were still some traces of the Mamiya’s drugs in her system.  But, since they didn’t have a huge effect on Leona’s health, Lucia said that they’ll work their way out eventually. And since she’s a blood breed, there was little to no chance of her going through withdrawal.

Leona was glad to know that everything was in order.  However, she wasn’t ready to leave the hospital. At least, not until she was able to talk to the Nonohara’s and made sure they were okay.

“Dr. Estevez, Klaus told me that the Nonohara’s are in your care.  Is there any chance that I can talk to Mikako and her son?”

The good doctor frowned.  She understood that Leona was concerned for her friends and she expected she’d asked to see them.  However…. “Um, it’s probably for the best that you didn’t. At least not today.”

“Oh, okay… do you know when I might be able to see them?”

Luciana fiddled with her cowlick.  “Well, it’s hard to say. Not long after they were admitted, both of them went through immediate withdrawal because of the Mamiya’s drugs.  Those maniacs have been poisoning those poor people for years and it’s caused them to suffer both physically and mentally. Even if I did let you meet with them, they won’t be in the right headspace to talk to you.  We were forced to restrain Mikako and Makoto when the boy tried to force his way into her room. It wasn’t pretty.”

Leona felt her heart sank.  She should have known that the Mamiya’s would still have a sick hold on them even after they left the Catskills.  She Thought that taking them away from the mansion would help them back into society again. But now, it felt like she only made things worse.  Dr. Estevez recognized the guilty expression on her face and she placed a hand on her shoulder.

“If you’re blaming yourself for the Nonohara’s situation, don’t.  Trust me, they are better off here than they were with those nymphos.  And besides, no one ever said that everything was going to be all cupcakes and rainbows once they got out of there.  Those two have a long road ahead of them, but they will get better eventually, I promise.”

Leona still felt sad, but she was reassured that the Nonohara’s will recover some day.  “Thank you Doctor, that’s really comforting to know.”

“It’s no problem and as soon as the Nonohara’s are well enough, I’ll text you.  You can visit them then. Now, I’m sure you want to spend some time with your man after your mission.  Go on home and get some rest.”

“I will, thanks again Luciana.”  The brunette said with a blush.

Klaus was waiting in the lobby for Leona once she was finished with her checkup.  He stood up from his seat once he saw his girlfriend coming his way.

“Leo!  Are you alright? What did she say?”

She chuckled as he was pressing for answers.  God, how she missed that man. “Hehe! You worrywort.  Don’t worry, she says I’m perfectly fine and if I’m feeling any effects from the drugs, they’ll work their way out of my system soon.”

Klaus let out a sigh of relief.  It was good to know that the drugs wouldn’t have a strong effect on her.  Luciana let him and Steven know what was happening with the Nonohara’s the day after he sent them to the hospital.  It hurt him to know that they were suffering like that. However, he knew that this was a big change for them and that the road the road to recovery would be long and hard.

He wondered if Luciana told Leona about them.  “Did Dr. Estevez told you about the Nonohara’s yet?”

“Yeah, I asked if I could talk to them.  But, because they aren’t in the best mental state to speak to anyone, she told me I need to wait and she’ll let me know when they feel better.”

Klaus placed a hand on her shoulder.  “I’m sorry you are unable to see your friends, Mein Herz.”

“Me too, but they’ll recover eventually.  I know their going to have a happier life here.”

“And we’ll help them every step of the way, my darling.”

Leona nodded as she rested her head on his plump chest.  All of a sudden, a wave of exhaustion hit her like a ton of bricks.  After everything that happened that day, she really wanted to go to Klaus’ place, have something to eat, and just sleep.  But, mostly she just wanted some much needed snuggle time with her boyfriend.

The gentle giant could tell she was feeling dead tired.  He was more than willing to give her all the comforts she desired after such a successful mission.  They didn’t waste any time getting into the car and quickly to Klaus’ penthouse apartment. Leona was so happy to be in the familiar setting of his home.  

Even Gilbert was there to greet her.  He knew that his young master’s paramour would come back to the apartment and he wanted to welcome her back properly.

“Ms. Leona, welcome home and congratulations on completing your mission!”

He held out his hand so she could shake it.  But, Leona wasn’t having it with the formal greeting.  “C’mon Gilbert, bring it in!”

She went in to give him a hug, and he reciprocated like greeting a granddaughter after being separated for so long.

“Hohoho!  I must say, your warm greetings are truly refreshing!  Now then, I’m sure you must be famished for some human food after your long trip.  However, since I know you must be bored to death with fancy cuisine, I went out and got you something special.”

Leona’s eyes nearly popped out of her skull.  Before her was a variable feast of Jack & Rockets burgers and fries!  Each one was a different burger off their menu! Leona was grinning from ear to ear from the sight of her favorite fast food.  She has been absolutely dying for her favorite burger joint since she went to the mansion. And boy, did Gilbert deliver!

“Ohhhh Gilbert!  You’re the best!”

“Hohoho! Oh, I can’t take all the credit, Ms. Leona.  It was actually Master Klaus’ idea. He knew how much you missed your favorite food while you were in the Catskills, so I placed the order right away once he made this request.”

Klaus rubbed the back of his neck.  He really wanted to celebrate his beloved’s return with everyone, but he knew she wouldn’t be in the mood for a big party once she immediately got back from her mission.  So, he decided to do something nice that Leona would equally love. There would always be time for big party later. Touched by her boyfriend’s consideration for her, Leona ran up and glomped him.  Showering Klaus with kisses in the process.

“I love you, Klaus!  It really feels good to be home at last!” 

He wrapped his big arms around her waist.  “I’m glad you’re home too, my love. We’ve all been missing you over these past few weeks.  My home and the office just doesn’t feel the same without your sweet presence.”

“Awwwwww Babe, you’re gonna make me cry!” Leona said as she began to wipe away the oncoming tears.

Not wanting to feel like a third wheel, Gilbert showed himself out.  He thought it would be best to let the happy couple alone for the night.  Afterall, out everyone in Libra, Klaus was the one who missed Leona the most.

After eating that delicious feast of burgers and fries, the food coma hit them both pretty hard.  The long trip from the Catskills to Hellsalem’s Lot, saving the remaining hostages, and indulging in a heavy meal, it was no surprise that they would both feel sleepy.  They decided to just wash up quickly, get into their PJs and just cuddle as they fell asleep in each others arms. With both of their tummies filled to the brim, it didn’t take long for them to fall into a deep burger induced coma.  But, that was okay. After two weeks of separation, both Leona and Klaus would finally be able to have a good night sleep, knowing that they would see each others faces once they woke up. But, for the time being, both of them just had happy dreams of one another.  The couple were just happy that they were home where they belong.

 

The next morning, Leona thought for sure that she was dreaming.  She thought that Klaus’ face was nothing more than an illusion and  she would wake up in her room at the Mamiya’s mansion. However, after cupping her hand on his cheek and giving him a gentle kiss, she knew she was wide awake.  This wasn’t the mansion that Leona had grown to hate. She was in Klaus’ apartment, in Hellsalem’s Lot… she was home.

The morning light felt warm on her skin as she sat up in the bed.  Before Leona got out from the covers, she looked at her lover’s face.  His hair was disheveled and had a bit of drool running down his chin. However, he looked very content, like a child having a pleasant dream.  It didn’t feel right waking up Klaus if he was still sleepy, so she got out of bed as quietly as she could. 

Leona took a blanket from the chair and wrapped it around her like a shawl.  She opened the balcony door and stepped outside to lean on the railing. The morning air was cool, indicating the  changing seasons as autumn was fast approaching. Leona was looking forward to it.

In that moment, she closed her eyes and listened carefully.  The quietness of the countryside made her miss the noises of the city.  However, she was able to hear and the different sounds of the city’s morning.  The cars honking, trying to get through their early commute, the pigeons cooing overhead, the yawning of citizens dreading to go to work this morning and the people just walking throughout the city.  Not only the sounds were pleasant to hear, the smells were recognizable too. The gas from the cars, the smell of coffee, and the diners and food vendors preparing all of her favorite foods. They may not have been the most pleasant senses for many people, but to Leona it was as if they were welcoming her back.  It was pure bliss.

“My love?”

Leona was taken out of her trance by the sound of her still sleepy boyfriend.  Klaus must have just gotten up. He groggily stepped toward Leona and wrapped his arms around her waist as he placed his nose in her mane.  

“*yaaaawwwwn* Are you enjoying the sunrise this morning.” Klaus said with a big bear-like yawn.

Leona giggled.  Her boyfriend always looked funny when he was still drowsy.  “I am, Sweetie. You know, if you’re still tired you could go back to sleep.  Steven was adamant we take this two week vacation, afterall.”

Klaus groaned as he nuzzled his face in his girlfriend’s hair.  “Mmmm… I’m alright. When I woke up to find your side of the bed empty, I was scared you coming home was all just a dream.  I was relieved when I saw you were just outside on the balcony.”

She patted his messy hair and smiled.  The little blood breed thought it was fair to coddle the giant after being separated for two weeks.  However, after starting at the view, she stopped for a moment. Despite the happiness of being with her beloved again, she couldn’t stop thinking about what happened yesterday.  She couldn’t get the Mistress’ spiteful words out of her head.

While Leona’s sleep was peaceful, thoughts of Lady Mamiya made an unwelcome appearance, albeit brief.  She couldn’t help but think of all the missed opportunities that she could have done away with the Mamiya family.  Heck, the Mistress’s throat was always in front of her and it wouldn’t have been hard to kill them all. But, no matter how much she wanted to, her conscience would not let her.  Despite, following the light of her moral code, she couldn’t deny the ugly truth about herself…. Leona wished she could have killed them sooner.

This fact made her ashamed of herself.  She was Merciful Red for goodness sake! The reason why she had what was left of her humanity was because she vowed to never kill anyone.  But even so, Leona had those moments where she thought that the world would be better off without some people. Of course she would mentally kick herself for thinking that way, but sometimes she couldn’t help it.

She wondered what Klaus would think of her if she told him.  Did he had these thoughts on occasion too? She needed to know.

“Say, Klaus?”

“Hmmm?” He murmured as he continued to nuzzle his face in her hair.

“Um… do you… do you ever have moments when you want to kill somebody?  Not because you have to, but just… want? Like, you want to see them suffer for all the horrible things they’ve done.  Have you ever felt that way, Klaus?”

The redhead stopped his nuzzling.  He was still and quiet for a moment before he released her from his embrace.  Klaus stood next her as he leaned on the the balcony with both of his hands on the railing.  Leona heard him let out a deep sigh then ran his hand through his hair. She was worried he would be disgusted with her question.

However, that wasn’t the case. 

“To be perfectly honest, I’ve felt that way so many times that I’ve lost count.” He spoke as he stared into the sunrise.

Leona had a suspicion he had these moments, but she was surprised that he had lost count!  That seemed so unlike her gentle Klaus, despite him being brutal when he had to.

He sensed her surprise before she had a chance to voice it.  “I’m not a saint, Leona. I never was. So many times I wished I could took take the lives of those who have done my friends and especially you, wrong.  That feeling became more prominent during this case. When Crane confessed to his crimes and admitted he wasn’t the least bit ashamed for what he has done, I… I wanted to rip his throat out.”

The way that Klaus said that made Leona flinch.  This was a very rare sight for Leona to see him feel this way.  The only time that she was able to see him with murderous intent in his eyes was when the Yakuza tried to kidnap her and the little girl into human trafficking.  While she was grateful and amazed he would go above and beyond like that, she would be lying if she said it didn’t frighten her a bit.

But then again, she even scared herself when felt the same brutish behavior clutching her chest to the point where it hurt.  “I hate feeling that way, Klaus.”

He placed a hand around her waist as he sighed.  “I do as well, my love.”

Leona looked up at him as he held her tightly.  “I kept thinking to myself while I was at the mansion, should I have done something different?  I felt like I should have followed my instincts and tried to incapacitate the family when they threw the welcoming party for Yuuna and Yukito.  Maybe I should have done away with them before they killed Chris? Hell, I should have acted sooner so Mikako’s husband would still be alive! I know you and Steven would be mad at me, but still…”

Klaus gently took Leona’s chin and lifted her head to meet his eyes.  “Leo, while I wouldn’t have the right to blame you if you had decided to act on your own, you did everything you could.  I’m proud that you stuck to your values even though it was hard. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have lasted as long as you had.  Besides, throughout the time you’ve been there, you didn’t take their abuse lying down. You did a tremendous job on saving the Nonohara’s, the beyondians, your co-workers and the huma That were being held captive.  And I promise, we’ll do everything we can to find the rest of the missing persons.”

Leona returned his embrace as she viewed the sun rising above them.

“I hope so, Klaus… I hope so.”

Klaus took Leona to the lawn chair as they sat together to watch the sunrise.  They didn’t need to talk to each one another. They were just content to be in each other’s company and enjoy the peaceful morning.  Leona was still worried of course, but she was willing to put her fears aside, at least for the moment. Right then and there, she just wanted to enjoy her time off with her beloved.  With him, she had nothing to fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I lied, the epilogue will be the next chapter. This one was fairly long anyway and I didn’t want to wait to long to post. I’ve been busy with school and with graduation just around the corner, it’s going to take a while for the epilogue. But, don’t worry it’ll be worth the wait!


	25. Chapter 25

After Klaus and Leona’s two week vacation, the couple went back to work.  And boy, was Libra busy. Actually, since Leona’s return, the organization’s morale had gone way up!  Even though Klaus had two weeks to make up for the time he wasn’t with his girlfriend, he felt he just needed a little more time to be by her side.  Throughout the week when they were back at the office, he had Leona sit on his lap while he worked at his desk. Steven was a bit concerned, but as it turned out, he managed to get more than half of a day’s worth of work done!  

Klaus wasn’t even distracted by her presence and Leona was always well behaved.  Whether she was playing on her handheld game with the volume down or working on articles for the newspaper, Klaus still managed to work twice as hard than when she was away.  However, Steven made a mistake on the third day when he suggested to Klaus to work without Leona attached to his hip. His friend actually growled at him for asking something so stupid!  After that little encounter, the ice user decided it was best to back off. As long as Klaus got his work done and Leona wouldn’t distract him, he wasn’t gonna complain.

After the fifth day, Klaus and Keona felt they’ve had their affection needs fulfilled.  So, Leona went back to her apartment and the two went back to their regularly scheduled date nights and twice a week sleepovers.  Soon enough, Libra headquarters was back to normal.

Well… sort of.

 

While Klaus and Leona went back to Hellsalem’s Lot, Steven and and the rest of Libra went through the literal thousands of the Mamiya’s files.  They had records upon records of past employees. Each one with a picture of the victim, their resume, and invoices on whether they were bought and sold to different associates.  The files had placed the victims into categories as specific types of merchandise. They were either to be used as as an organ donor or as a sexual commodity. The files even showed the names, addresses, contacts, and amounts paid of the associates.  Along with the victim’s names that they were sold to. Even a few so-called respected politicians were in those files! Everything that Libra and the police needed to know, was all there.

While this made searching for victims that were possibly alive easier, that still didn’t excuse the fact that more than half of the victims were dead.  Libra contacted agents who lived on the outside and the police gave them the go head on raiding the associate’s residences across the country as well as abroad.  The agents tried the best they can to find the missing victims, but unfortunately, they only managed to rescue seventy out of the thousands of beyondians that had gone missing that past year and a half.  The total of victims rescued including the twenty that were being held at the estate was ninety. Even though they were happy to have saved so many lives, Libra and the police were still ashamed that they couldn’t get to the rest of the thousands of lives that were taken away in such a short amount of time.  Libra decided to host a memorial service dedicated to the victims once all of the legal matters have been dealt with.

When Libra handed over the files to the police, Detective Law thought it was best to have the Mamiya’s crimes go public.  The chief of police didn’t have any objections to it. Since the Mamiya’s committed the crimes against the people of Hellsalem’s Lot, their due punishments would be left in the city’s hands.  A press conference was to be held and of course, the HLPD would get the credit in the public eye. Libra expected this and they were fine with that. After the press conference and the evidence was brought to light, it didn’t take long for the courts to settle a date for the family’s lawyers to represent them in the case against the Mamiya’s.  They made the foolish mistake to try to bribe their way out of the system like they’ve done in the past. However, the Mamiya’s and their lawyers were in Hellsalem’s Lot now. And any huma who posed a threat to the delicate balance between the human and alter words, wouldn’t be able to walk away so easily.

The day of the court date, the lawyers tried everything they could to prove that the Mamiya’s weren’t guilty, but the evidence against them was too strong, they had zero chances of winning the case against them.  The Mamiya’s were guilty of crimes of human/beyondian trafficking, drug trafficking, illegal organ trading, kidnapping, torture, first and third degree murders and felony tax evasion. All four of the Mamiya’s were to be given maximum life sentences of two-hundred years in Pandorum Asylum with no possibility of parole.  After the guilty verdict, the Mamiya’s assets were split amongst the victim’s families and survivors as compensation. The rest would be confiscated by the government along with their numerous estates. One by one their businesses fell to the ground and their stocks plummeted into the negatives. The Mamiya’s were completely bankrupt.  

As for Jasper Crane, not only was he fired from the police force, he was also given a maximum life sentence.  He too would also spend the rest of is days in the asylum. As for the rest of the associates, a lot of them were given lighter sentences but their businesses would suffer greatly.  Any politicians that also took part in the Mamiya’s crimes would be dismissed from their duties and would have little to no chances of re-election. For the first time in ages, the Mamiya empire had finally fallen.  Leona did warn the Mistress that karma would catch up to them someday and it had… big time.

 

As for the status of the victims, all of them were taken to different medical facilities throughout Hellsalem’s Lot.  All of the survivors were to undergo physical and mental treatment immediately.

Angela was taken to Bradbury General Hospital and was to stay there for the remainder of her pregnancy and after the baby was born for checkups.  A few days after she was admitted, she went into labor. After eight grueling hours, Angela gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby cat boy. He had the cutest little blue ears and fuzz on his head and two tails just like his auntie Anna.  Speaking of which, as soon as Angela and her son were treated and given a clean bill of health, both Anna and Lady Winnow we’re finally able to visit them. The reunion was filled with smiles, tears and hugs all around. Not only were they welcoming back a sister, they were welcoming a new member of the Filles de Monstres family.  Anna couldn’t thank Leona enough for finding her big sister and bring her and her nephew back home. Lady Winnow wanted to offer The blood breed a reward for her rescue, but Leona declined. She was just happy that Angela and her son were going to be okay and were reunited with their family.

However, some weren’t so lucky.  When Layla was admitted to the hospital, she too went into labor.  But, because of the horrendous negligence of the Mamiya’s, she was completely malnourished and suffered numerous ailments.  Her newborn daughter was born one month prematurely and had to be placed in intensive care and incubated until she was healthy enough.  Not long after the baby was born, Layla Davis passed away due to her ailments along with the complications of her pregnancy. Leona was devastated.  She promised Chris that she would save his family, but she failed at saving the mother of his child. Even though she was glad that Layla and Chris would find each other in the afterlife, their baby was all alone in the world.  

She tried to contact Chris and Layla’s relatives but had no luck.  Chris didn’t have any other family besides his deceased parents and Layla’s sister wasn’t in the best financial situation to take care of a newborn baby on her own.  Everyday Leona visited the hospital to check in on the sickly child. It broke her heart to see the little one being trapped in that glass box with all those tubes going in and out of her.  Since she no longer had a mother to comfort her in her time of need, Leona took to the task of temporary mommy until she figured things out for the newborn. Leona didn’t want her to wind up in foster care and was contemplating to adopt the baby herself.  However, she too wasn’t exactly financially stable to take care of her herself. She didn’t even have the proper baby care products at her apartment, not that she’d be able to afford any. Leona was truly at a loss.

Not long after Anna and her son left the hospital and Layla’s baby was born, she visited her mentor Jack.  He was pleased that his prized pupil was doing okay after her mission. She still wasn’t ready to to tell the rest of the coven about her assignment and Jack understood.  However, she did tell him about Layla’s death and her daughter having to stay in intensive care. He was heartbroken to hear that another life was taken away by the Mamiya’s and for the little girl sick in the hospital.  The elder blood breed asked Leona if he could go to the hospital on her next visit. She thought it was kind of an odd request. She didn’t say no of course but she was curious as to why Jack wanted to accompany her. However, she would soon understand.

When Leona and Jack arrived at the hospital to check on the baby, she left him alone with the sick child as she went go talk to Luciana about the newborn’s living situation once she was healthy again.  He observed her quietly. Fortunately, she wasn’t acting fussy in the incubation unit and was sleeping soundly. Subconsciously, Jack placed his hand in one of the openings of the incubator. He only intended to touch the baby’s hand, but then something miraculous happened.  

Her tiny hand gripped his finger and her eyes opened for the first time, peering into his.  In that moment in time, he felt his heart skip a beat as a gentle warmth spread through his chest.  Memories of the little girl the past Mamiya’s intended to take away flooded his mind. His lip started to quiver as tears fell down his cheeks and onto the glass box. This overwhelming emotion was often felt by a new parent meeting their child for the very first time… it was love.

Leona and Dr. Estevez went back into the room to check the baby, only to find the elder blood breed silently weeping over the incubator.  

His pupil rushed to his side to ask what was wrong.  “Jack, are you okay? Is there something wrong with the baby?”

The good doctor checked the sickly newborn’s vitals.  Fortunately, they were all normal and the baby looked fine.  But, she was surprised to see the girl’s eyes opened for the first time.

“Holy cow!  Even when she was conscious, she would never open her eyes for us.  How did you do it?”

Jack was immediately taken out of his trance and wiped away his tears with his free hand.  Leona looked down to see his finger be held by the baby’s hand. Throughout her numerous visits, she wouldn’t hold Leona’s finger.  Mostly she just thought that the baby was too weak to grip anything. But here she is, holding onto her mentor’s finger with no intention of letting go.

The elder blood breed turned towards his pupil with an emotional yet determined look in his eyes.  “Leona, you mentioned that this child has no other relatives that could take her in. That is correct, yes?”

“Yeah, while she does have an aunt, she told me she couldn’t afford to take care of her.  Why do you ask.?”

Jack looked at the baby once more and gave her a heartfelt smile.  “I… I would like to take her in as my daughter.”

The two women were shocked at his request to adopt the child.  While she had seen Jack interact with Lacey’s daughter, Caroline, as if he was an uncle to her, Leona wondered if he could take care of a baby on his own.

“Jack, are you absolutely sure you want to do this?  This is a very big decision.”

“She’s right, sir.”  Said Dr. Estevez. “I know your emotions are running high right now, but this is something you have to 100% commit to.  Are you absolutely certain you want to adopt her?”

Jack continued holding onto the little one’s hand.  He knew he had to do this. And, judging by the baby’s firm grip and opening her eyes only for him, proved that she chose him to be her true guardian.

“I don’t think I’ve been more certain in my life.  The moment my eyes met hers, I immediately fell in love.  I know I have a lot to learn about raising a child, but I’m willing to commit myself fully to this little one.”

Leona and Luciana couldn’t argue with that.  The petite blood breed knew from the tone of his voice that he was serious about this.  To be honest, Leona couldn’t think of anyone better than Jack, to take care of her. Besides, Lacey could help him out since he knows what it’s like being a single father.

The good doctor cleared her throat and pushed up her glasses.  “Well, as long as you’re sure you would like to take her in, I can get the adoption papers ready for you.  Do you know what you would like to name her?”

It didn’t take long for Jack to come up with one.  “Joy… yes, I think Joy will suit her well.”

“Joy it is then!  If you could just sit tight for a moment, I’ll be right back with the paperwork.”

Luciana happily made her way out of the room to get the adoption papers, leaving Leona and Jack alone with baby Joy.

“Congratulations, Jack!”  Leona said with a smile on her face.  “I’m really happy for you.”

“Thank you, as am I.”  Jack returned the smile tenfold.  He never regretted his decision once.  Deep down, he knew he made the right choice.  He wanted to give that little girl all the happiness that the Mamiya’s dared to take away.  Jack let a little girl die once, he wasn’t going to do the same to Joy.

“Leona, if it is alright with you, I would like to take over your visitation duties.  You can still come to see her of course, but-”

“You don’t even have to ask.”  Leona interrupted. “I know it’s important for you to bond with your new baby, so I’ll gladly give you your space.  I have to get going anyway, so you can just tell Dr. Estevez that I showed myself out.”

“Of course, Leona.  And thank you.”

“No problem.”

Jack pulled up a chair next to the incubator.  His finger still be held onto by little Joy’s firm grip.  Leona smiled as she walked out of the hospital. Jack really had grown a lot since she helped reform him.  While he did have a lot to learn about being a new parent, it would eventually come to him naturally.

She stopped for moment to stare up at the heavens.   _Chris, Layla… I don’t know if you two were watching that, but you’ll be glad to know that your little girl will be in safe and loving hands, I promise._

 

After a few months, Baby Joy was healthy enough to leave the hospital.  Jack completed all the necessary paperwork for her adoption and was soon the proud father Joy Li Chong.  Leona was very happy for her mentor. She knew that Joy’s parents would be very glad that their baby was going to be very well loved and cared for.  Lacey and Caroline were very excited to hear the news of Jack’s new adopted daughter.

Caroline was especially ecstatic, since she’ll have a little sister-like figure to play with when she’s older.  Lacey was very willing to help Jack with the baby when he needed it. Since he knew what it was like being a single parent raising a little girl, he had some really useful pointers.  Specifically, when it came to calming a crying child and how to cancel out the noxious smells when changing diapers.

Leona was also more than happy to help her mentor.  Her natural maternal instincts was a big help to Jack and his new baby.  Soon enough, he was able to understand the basics of parenting. Jack knew wouldn’t have to handle it alone, but for him, loving and caring for this child was another step towards his redemption.  However, Leona felt that he had more than redeemed himself.

Not long after Jack brought his adopted daughter home, Leona got the call she’s been waiting for.  Dr. Estevez finally contacted her to share the good news about the Nonohara’s. Now that they were past the withdrawal stage and the physical parts of their treatment, they were ready to meet with any visitors.  As soon as Leona finished her call, she teleported to the hospital in a heartbeat. Luciana expected her to be there in a few seconds flat, so she just took the blood breed straight to Mikako’s room. The good doctor told Leona to take all the time they need, and just left her at the door.  Her heart was pounding in anticipation. It’s been months since she last saw her friend and she hoped that she really was doing okay. However, whatever worries she had melted away.

Mikako was still lying on the bed, but she was sitting upright reading a book.  Her luscious violet hair was tied in a side ponytail and her skin looked healthy and shiny than when she was working at the estate.  However, the most distinguished difference about her, was her breasts. They shrunk! Well, they were still pretty big but at least they were at a healthier size than what they once were.  Mikako was positively glowing!

Leona walked up to the bed slowly.  Her friend was completely absorbed into her book that she didn’t hear her come in.  She didn’t know why, but Leona felt nervous. She knew she shouldn’t be but it’s been so long since she’s seen Mikako, it have her butterflies.

Leona soon got up her courage and spoke up.  “Mikako?”

The ex-maid looked up from her book when she heard her name.  Her eyes opened wide as she saw her former co-worker in front of her.  Leona simply smiled and waved hello. However, Mikako couldn’t couldn’t contain her emotions.  With tears in her eyes she shot up from the bed and embraced her friend with open arms.

“Leona!  Oh! thank god you’re okay!  You have no idea how happy I am to see you!”

Leona couldn’t hold back the tears anymore.  She was so glad that her friend was doing okay.

“I feel the same way, Mikako!  I'm glad that you’re finally feeling better.”

“Well, not 100% better but I get what you mean.  But, please sit down and let’s talk. It’s been, what about three months?”

Leona sat down on the side of the bed.  “Yeah, That sounds about right. Honestly, that party seemed like a hundred years ago.”

“Indeed,  That day… that day when… _she_ killed my husband and put my son and I on the auction block, I thought my life ended too.  But when Mr. Reinherz told me who you both were, I felt alive again!”

She took Leona’s hands and held them in her’s.  “You saved our lives, Leona! You were supposed to go home with Mr. Reinherz, but you sent us in your place!  I could thank you a thousand times and that would never be enough. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you, but I promise in time I will.”

“Please, don’t even think about that!  I would do anything to get you and your son out of there.  You made my mission at the estate bearable. If it wasn’t for you, I would have snapped on day one!”

Mikako shook her head.  “I’m sure you wouldn’t have.  Besides, you were much stronger than me.”

“You’re wrong… Since I arrived I questioned if I was the person for this job.  My co-worker Chain would have done a better job than me. So many people died because I didn’t act earlier.  I couldn’t save Chris, Layla died in childbirth and your husband… I’m not as strong as you think I am, Mikako.  I failed too many times.”

Mikako placed a hand on her cheek, sympathy in her eyes.  “Leona, you did not fail. Your words gave me the courage to keep going.  It gave me the strength to stand up to the Mistress before the auction started!  That’s something I never would have done if it wasn’t for you! Even if you, Libra, or the police couldn’t save everyone, you still saved ninety people.  Not only that, you brought the Mamiya’s and their associates to justice. I never thought I’d live to see the day when that family would be brought to their knees.  That achievement is nothing to sneeze at, dear girl.”

Leona nodded as she gave a slight smile.  “Everyone at Libra told me the same thing.  I have to tell you, Mikako, this was the most difficult assignment I’ve ever been on.  Not just because this was my first solo mission, but my own personal beliefs were put to the test.  I made a personal vow to never kill anyone, only and unless it’s my last resort. After the Mamiya’s killed Chris and I was shown the location of the missing beyondians, I decided to not sit on the sidelines and let anyone else become a pawn in their twisted games.  The night Mr. Nonohara came to the mansion, I was prepared to fight back. For the first time since I came to Hellsalem’s Lot, I was ready to throw my pacifist nature out the window. I was gonna get you, your family, Yukito, Yuuna and everyone else out of there! But…”

She turned to face Mikako.  “You stopped me. Did… did you know what I was going to do, Mikako?”

The ex-maid let out a sigh.  “I didn’t know you were going to go that far, but I had a feeling you were about to do something… drastic.  Call it a mother’s intuition, if you will.”

“But… why did you stop me?”  Leona asked.

“Hiroyuki and I expected that this would happen.  After he was fired from his last job we knew he wouldn’t pay back the debt in time, despite trying his best to do so.  The night before he came to the estate, I negotiated with the Mistress to let me and my family have one final evening together as a family.  Not only that, he was to die peacefully before my son and I were put on the auction block. Marie said she would let us.”

Mikako’s brows furrowed as she gripped her bed sheets.  Her shoulders were shaking. “...The bitch lied. He didn’t get a peaceful death, we barely had had ten minutes with each other! She… she…”

“Mikako!”  Leona said as she took her hand.  “You don’t have to say anything about what happened if you don’t want to.”

“No!”  She shouted, but composed herself.  “No… I want to talk about it. That woman can’t hurt me or my son anymore and as my friend, you have every right to know what happened.  She… pumped him full of those awful drugs and… _violated_ him in front of me and Makoto.  His heart was already under a lot of strain because of the stress.  The Mistress’ cruel act is what finally done him in… he died with a look of terror on his face.”

Leona felt sick to her stomach.  She was beyond furious but she was saddened, that her friends had to go through that.

“I’m so sorry… I didn’t know.  Now I wish I did do away with those monsters when I had the chance!”

“No, Leona.  Death would have been too kind for those people.  Knowing that they’re penniless and are going to spend the rest of their days in prison with no chances of freedom, is good enough for me.  I appreciate you willing to sacrifice your beliefs for all of our sakes, really I am. But, you’re not a killer. Plus, my son and I are recovering, which is more than I could possibly dream of.  We owe it all to you, Leona. All of us.”

The petite blood breed was completely overwhelmed with emotion.  While there were losses in this case, at least a few would get their happy end out of it.  She moved up the bed and gave Mikako a hug.

“Thank you, Mikako.”

“It’s I who should be thanking you, my friend.”

The two were taken out of their embrace from a knock at the door.  It was Makoto.

“Mom?  Mom are you okay-”

He was surprised to see Leona with his mother.

“Hi, Makoto!”

It took the boy only a few seconds to run up and glomp Leona.  Again, she was faced with waterlogged Thank yous and tight hugs that would make her ribs collapse.  Soon her waterworks started back up again after being recovered from her emotional reconciliation with Mikako.  However, Leona didn’t care. She was just glad to be reunited with the Nonohara’s again.

 

The three of them spent the rest of the afternoon in Mikako’s room after they went to the cafeteria for lunch.  Makoto and his mother talked to Leona about their time in the hospital and the great care they received from Dr. Estevez.  They were even willing to talk about their treatment. Leona thought they would be reluctant to talk about it, but since Libra was looking after them, they figured it would be fine.  Leona was a part of Libra and she held a majority of the responsibility for the mother and child after all.

Once they were both over the withdrawal symptoms, they immediately underwent surgery to take care of the physical damages done by the Mamiya’s.  Mikako went through breast reduction surgery and hormonal therapy. Dr. Estevez was concerned that the abnormal size of her breasts would cause her future back problems.  Fortunately, the surgery made her feel light as a goose feather. And thanks to the hormonal therapy she no longer had to deal with any lactation and sore breasts. Mikako was truly grateful for the surgery.  For the first time in years, she was free from physical pain.

Makoto’s treatment was rather tricky.  The Mamiya’s had done significant damage to the genitalia.  Dr. Estevez was still amazed how they continued to function.  The work the Mamiya’s have done on him was something Luciana had never seen before.  And she had seen everything!

She tried to figure out what could help slow down the sperm production, but she was at a loss.  The Mamiya’s have completely screwed up that boy’s reproductive system. The only option that Dr. Estevez knew that would help Makoto in the long run, was castration and penile reduction surgery.  However, she couldn’t do the surgery without his consent.

But, to her relief and surprise he simply said, “You don’t even have to ask.”

After everything that happened to him, he wanted to get rid of anything and everything that the Mamiya’s gave him.  The young man gave his full consent to do the surgery. He was warned that his sex drive would significantly diminished ahead of time, but he didn’t care.  He just wanted the pain to stop. Fortunately, Dr. Estevez was more than willing to grant his wish.

After Mikako and Makoto had fully recovered from their surgeries, they were moved to the psychiatric ward.  Now that the Nonohara’s bodies have been healed, their minds were next on the list. This had to be the most difficult treatment that the mother and child had to go through.  The psychological torment the Mamiya’s put them through caused a huge strain on their relationship. There wasn’t any resentment, thank goodness, but because, the Mamiya’s warped Mikako’s son’s mind into falling in lust with his own mother, he felt nothing but shame.

Mikako wasn’t fairing well either.  Over the years she and Makoto were working there, she normalized the Mamiya’s horrid treatment of her son.  During her treatment, Mikako recalled Leona’s harsh words when she snapped at her for the first time.

_How could you let them do those awful things to your son?!_

Even though Leona reassured her friend she didn’t mean what she said,  Mikako knew she was right. She did let Marie have her way with the boy.  As much as she wanted to stand up to the Mamiya’s cruelty, they would always threatened to do worse things to Makoto.  Mikako felt like a complete coward. She wished she could have taken those punishments in his place. Then again, even she was scared of what Marie would do to her.  The guilt and shame was killing them both.

When the time came for Mikako and Makoto to have their session together, it was pretty awkward.  Neither of them could look at each other in the eye, let alone talk to one another. Since they were no longer under the influence of the Mamiya’s or their awful drugs, they were fully aware how toxic their relationship was.  Dr. Estevez expected that it wasn’t going to be easy, but told them to take their time. When Mikako got up the courage to talk first first, she was a mess. The shame sunk in big time. She was constantly talking about being a horrible mother, the restaurant, dragging her family into her stubbornness trying to keep her business alive, letting the Mamiya’s experiment on Makoto, etc.  Mikako didn’t blame her son if he never wanted to forgive her nor see her again after their treatments were over. However, she was surprised when Makoto said he never blamed her or his dad for their situation.

While he was in tears, he told his mom that it wasn’t her fault.  Makoto knew that if she dared to defy the Mamiya’s orders they would only hurt her, or worse.  He said that it should be him that shouldn’t be forgiven. Makoto poured his heart out to his mother how never wanted to fall in lust with her.  It made him feel awful and gross that he let those feelings get out of control. Most of all, he was scared that their relationship could never be salvaged, they both were.

However, after all the talking, tears and apologies, Mikako and Makoto realized how much they still needed each other.  Since they were both new in Hellsalem’s Lot, they needed to help one another to get adjusted to their new life in the city.  Dr. Estevez also reminded them that it was never too late for a second chance. The years the Nonohara’s lived at the Mamiya’s estate were very traumatic and what they went through was neither of their faults.  Even after they get out of the hospital they would still have a while to recover.

Leona told her friends that they wouldn’t have to go through their new life alone.  She and the rest of Libra would be there for them when they needed it. But, it was crucial that Makoto and Mikako give each other their support as well.  The mother and son happily agreed. Since that first session, they were rebuilding a healthy relationship as mother and son.

However, Mikako was still a bit worried for when they leave Bradbury General.  They would need jobs and a roof over their heads. Leona told them not to worry and that Steven was securing an apartment for them.  She also took to the task of finding good jobs for the both of them. All the Nonohara’s needed to focus on was their recovery and leave all the worrying to Libra.

 

When the Nonohara’s were deemed well enough to check out of the hospital, Steven showed them their apartment.  It was a simple two bedroom apartment with a kitchenette and one bathroom. A modest little place, but just right for the mother and son just starting their new life in the city.  Since the Nonohara’s didn’t have any money, Libra offered to cover their rent until they were financially stable enough to take care of it themselves. They also covered their food and clothes too.  Mikako told them it wasn’t necessary, but since they were friends of Leona’s they were friends of Libra and wanted to do anything they could to help them adjust.

Soon after the Nonohara’s were settled in their new apartment, Leona went on the hunt to find them jobs.  Leona recalled how the master of Diane’s Diner needed a full time short order cook. Even though they were a small diner, their busy days could leave master completely swamped.  She figured that job would be perfect for Mikako. He also said he was meaning to add a few new dishes to the menu. Mikako’s expertise on different Italian dishes would be good for the restaurant.  After Leona told him about Mikako’s situation, he said he would gladly put her on a trial run to see what she got.

Mikako passed the trial run with flying colors.  She really knew her way around a diner kitchen! While it wasn’t like cooking the fancy Italian dishes when she ran her restaurant, she was happy nonetheless since this job was more her speed.  It just felt great to be cooking and to be in the old chef uniform again. Master was more than impressed with her culinary skills. Patrons were absolutely in love with Mikako’s food! Not only that, Master was getting kind of smitten with Mikako.  However, he understood she still needed time to recover from her ordeal. Soon his patience would pay off when Mikako was ready to start dating. Over time, she grew to like Master as well. She had never been so happy!

As for Makoto, Leona decided to try her luck with Filles de Monstres.  She remembered Anna telling her that they were planning to add butlers to the cafe.  Lady Winnow thought that putting some cute monster boys into the mix would help increase their clientele.  Leona told the spider woman of Makoto’s situation and since she owed the girl for finding Anna’s sister, she agreed to take the boy on.  He was pretty nervous at first but Leona reassured him that if it didn’t work out, she could always help find him another job. However, he actually turned out to be a really great employee!  Yeah, he was a little clumsy the first day due to nerves, but he soon came around. He did make a very charming werewolf butler and new patrons absolutely adored him. Makoto was all settled into his new job and was getting along well with his co-workers.  They were all super nice to him and was patient his first few days. He was really developing a knack for the customer service industry. He was even thinking about trying for his G.E.D and going to college study business!

On top of finding their new jobs, Leona also showed them the ropes of the city.  She showed them which transportation to take and which to avoid, how not to get mugged, and the best places to shop and eat.  The Nonohara’s were a bit put off by the whole mugging bits and the transportation that showed the mortality rates. Leona didn’t blame them but reassured them that Not everyone in Hellsalem’s Lot were bad and they will call the city home eventually.  Thanks to the kindness that Leona and Libra had showed them, they knew they had nothing to fear.

Libra even declared the Nonohara’s their official caterers for their famous parties.  They would also be handsomely paid for each party. The organization loved Mikako’s cooking!  She even made friends with K.K. Since they were both mothers, they go on like a house on fire when they started gushing about their baby boys.  Makoto was embarrassed but was very happy his mom was settling in the city and making new friends. Since their escape from the mansion, the Nonohara’s felt like they finally had it made.

 

Shortly after the Nonohara’s were settled, Yuuna and Yukito finally got into contact with Leona.  They told her that Detective Law was very good with them and they were very cooperative with him. The couple told the man everything he needed to know about the Mamiya’s and their time at the estate.  Yuuna was worried that they didn’t give him enough information, but the detective reassured her that every little info helped. Yukito told Leona they heard over the news how the Mamiya’s stocks had completely plummeted overnight.  They only heard that much along with the handful of the associates’ businesses and chances for office has gone through the trash. Leona had to fill them in on the grittier details.

Yukito and Yuuna were relieved to know that the Mamiya’s will be spending the rest of their days in prison, completely penniless.  Leona told them that they will also be compensated along with the survivors and the victim’s families. They tried to turn her down, but Libra insisted that the Mamiya’s fortune should go towards those who needed it more.  Their checks would arrive in the mail soon.

Leona asked how her Brother was.  She did hear that even the hospitals that the family owned were also immediately shut down for malpractice.  Yuuna reassured her that her little brother was fine. Fortunately, his liver was compatible and there weren’t any repercussions for him.  After the Mamiya’s were caught, Klaus saw to it that he was transferred back to the hospital he originally stayed at. However, Her brother did figure out that the Mamiya’s were selling organs on the black market.  He felt terrible that his new liver may have been from someone they killed in order to get it. However, he and Yuuna were reassured that they had done nothing wrong. The Mamiya’s took advantage of her family’s situation and tricked them.  But even so, Yuuna’s brother was alive and she had a wonderful and supportive boyfriend. That was all that mattered.

As for Sachie, Leona never heard from her again.  They never exchanged contact information so it was to be expected.  Even though she was a pain in her ass, she was pretty helpful when she chose to be.  Leona just hoped that she was doing well and was bettering herself. However, she doubted that Sachie would change that easily.  But, one could only hope.

 

After everything had calmed down, Libra and the HLPD started planning the memorial service.  The memorial itself would be placed in Central Park. Three large polished granite stones would have all the names of the victims that were killed by the Mamiya’s.  That would also include those all the way back to the 1800s. Two Sakura trees would be planted on each side of the memorial. These trees were very special. Through magic they would be in bloom all year round no matter the season or weather.  The finishing touch would be a pond in front of the granite stones. No water lilies were needed since the cherry blossom petals would adorn the pond splendidly.

Thankfully the city was paying for the memorial in place.  The Mamiya incident would be deemed the worst case of Beyondian kidnapping in the history of Hellsalem’s Lot.  All the victims deserved to be remembered honorably and no expenses would be spared. No invitations were necessary.  The memorial was open to anybody who wished to pay their respects to the fallen victims.

It was very rainy day when the memorial service took place that afternoon.  However, that did not deter anyone from attending. The Mamiya’s had affected so many people.  Relatives of past victims came from the outside for the service. The whole Libra organization arrived first to greet the guests and Leona kept an eye out for her friends who attended.

Mikako and her son arrived in their funeral garb to mourn and honor Hiroyuki Nonohara.  Makoto held onto his mother’s hand the entire time. Even though Mikako and her son’s life took a turn for the better, she still wished her husband shared in their new life too.  Leona went to them to give her condolences. Mikako was grateful that her friend was there for her and Makoto that day. The blood breed still regretted being unable to save Mr. Nonohara. However, Mikako reassured her that he was in a better place and he’d be happy that his family is doing well.  

Jack also arrived with little baby Joy in tow.  He wanted to pay his respects to the family that he killed so long ago.  Thanks to Libra going into the Mamiya’s archives, Leona was able to to tell him the names.  But above all, he wished to pay his respects to Joy’s birth parents. Jack felt it was the right thing to do to pray for their blessings to raise their baby girl.  He knew he wasn’t the most ideal father figure for her, but he promised with all his heart to protect and love her always.

It really was a lovely service that day.  Despite the rain, nobody wanted to miss out on honoring the fallen victims.  Thoughtful eulogies were said, moving music was played and everyone brought flowers to adorn the memorial along with pictures of family members, friends, and lovers.  Goodbye letters that expressed their love to victims were also spread about the memorial too. To end the service, a moment of silence was shared. Families and friends held each other close as the time passed.  It felt like time moved slowly in the silence. Leona quietly wept as Klaus held her tight. There were over two million names on those granite pillars. She wished there never had to be that many names. It sickened her how those vile Mamiya’s could ruin so many lives.  Centuries of heartless torture and suffering had happened and nobody, not even the law enforcement could stop them. Klaus felt how tense his lover was getting in his arms. He knew what she was probably thinking during that moment of silence. The gentle giant lifted her chin so her eyes could meet hers.  Even though they couldn’t speak, those beautiful green emeralds let her know that everything was going to be alright.

 

After the service was over, Gilbert drove Klaus and Leona back to his penthouse.  It started to downpour as soon as they got in the car, so traffic was inevitable. During the slow crawl back home, Klaus was getting worried.  Leona was silent as she stared at out the window. The look on her face was intense like she was struggling with a turmoil within herself and was fighting alone.

Klaus scooted over to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.  “Libeling? You’ve been awfully quiet since we left the memorial service.  Are you feeling alright?”

Leona looked down at her feet but scooted over to Klaus as he put his arm around her waist and held her close.

She was still quiet for a beat, but soon spoke up.  “Klaus… how far are we from Pandorum Asylum?”

He was surprised that she asked.  The redhead looked at the rear view mirror and Gilbert and lifted three fingers to him.  It meant they were about three miles away from the facility. He had an idea what Leona could be thinking, but he decided to ask anyway.

“We’re no more than three miles away.  But, why do you want to know?”

Leona gripped his hand tightly.  “There’s… there's something I have to do.”

 

“Honestly Klaus, I have no idea you wrap me into these things!”

Pandorum Asylum’s very own disciplinarian, Warden Alice was pretty livid with Klaus and Leona’s sudden visit and request.  “I mean it’s bad enough when you ask to let Doug and Deldro out and about when the city isn’t in complete chaos, but this!”

“Please, don’t scold Klaus to harshly Warden Alice.  After all it was my request that we come to see her.”

The wild haired warden rolled her eyes.  “Christ, I know! This is exactly why I’m not too keen on this.  I know how much he lets his heart run away with his head when it comes to you!”

The redhead rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment but soon cleared his throat.  “Even so, Leona clearly has something she needs to say to the woman. I promise we won’t take too long.  Just let her do what she has to do and we’ll be out of your hair before you know it.”

The warden let out a groan as she facepalmed.  But eventually she relented. “Oh, very well. But I have to warn you, she isn’t in the pleasant of moods today.  The again, she hasn’t exactly been a happy camper since she and her hellspawn showed up. If you would follow me, please?”

The three of them went to the elevator.  The new inmate was settled on the 37th floor.  As soon as they reached their destination, Alice led the couple down a long and wide hallway.  This was Leona’s first time in Pandorum Asylum and she found it kind of creepy. The dark and drafty atmosphere didn’t exactly do wonders for her nerves.  Soon enough they reached a big door that fit the entirety of the wall at the end of the hallway. Behind those doors was Marie Mamiya.

Before Leona could go in, Alice needed to go over a few things with her.  “When you enter the cell, you are not allowed to touch the inmate. Even though this one is more harmless than our more dangerous inmates, proceed with caution.  I will give you twenty-five minutes to talk with her, no more, no less. Got it?”

Leona nodded. “Got it.”

“Good.  If you need me, press the blue button and next to the door and speak into the communicator.”

The Warden put in the code on the keypad and the cell slowly opened for Leona.  But before Leona walked in Klaus took her hand.

“Leona, are you sure want to go in by yourself?  I could still be your backup if you want.”

She did think about it for a minute.  However, she soon got an idea. Leona didn’t know how it would play out but, she wanted to give Mamiya a surprise before she leaves.

Leona smiled as she patted his hand.  “I’ll keep you on standby, sweetie.”

Leona walked into the open cell once the door was open.  As soon as she entered the cell the door closed behind her.  Fortunately, she had nothing to worry about being alone with the convict.  The cell itself was a wide and open with linoleum walls and flooring. Security cameras were placed at every corner along with two GAU-19 Gatling guns aimed directly at the prisoner in case they made any sudden moves.  They took security at that place very seriously.

In the center of the room was Marie Mamiya.  She was wearing a straight jacket that was completely strapped to the chair.  Leona certainly didn’t have to worry about her doing anything funny. As for Marie herself, her head was down with her long magenta hair covering her face.  She was probably sleeping since she didn’t respond to the creaking of the door. Or perhaps, she just didn’t care. Leona’s eyes might have been playing tricks on her, but she could have sworn she saw more than a few strands of gray hair.

“Mamiya.”  Leona said in a firm tone.  She was determined to have this woman look her straight in the eye, even if it killed her.

Marie’s head twitched a bit.  She recognized that voice anywhere.  After all, it was the voice of the girl who ruined her and her family’s life.  Leona got good look of the woman’s face once her eyes met hers. It had been more than a few months since Leona saw the Mistress and her children being taken away, but she looked really different.  She looked like she had aged twenty years! In the corners of Marie’s eyes were very visible crows feet. Deep lines had appeared around her mouth and nose. And her skin hadn’t fared well either. Her face was cracked due to dry skin and it was sagging in a few areas.  However, the most prominent feature that caught Leona’s attention, was the scar she had left on Mamiya’s face. She smirked, proud that her handiwork hadn’t faded away.

This Mistress sneered at her.  “Ugh… of all people to come and visit me in my lowly state, it had to be you.”

Leona walked a bit closer, not fazed at all by the intimidating guns.  Besides, they weren’t pointing at her. “Never thought you’d see me again, didn’t you?”

The former matriarch just scoffed.  “I figured you would sooner or later.  So, you were just some undercover toadie his whole time, huh?  I have to say, you were pretty good considering I’m stuck here for the indefinite future.”

“Did you ever expect I was an agent?”  Leona asked.

“Ha! no.  You really were quit the actress, had me completely fooled.  You played the part of the naive employee well. I should have suspected something was off when you started talking out of turn.  But enough of that now, why are you here? You’ve come to rub your victory in my face?”

Leona kept her lip in a firm straight line and kept her fists at her side.  She tried her best not to start shaking. “I actually just came from the memorial service not to long ago.”

“The what?”  Marie asked spitefully.

“It was a memorial service dedicated to the two million plus victims your dreaded family has killed since the 1800s.  Over two million victims, Mamiya! All of whom died because your family’s greed! Do have any idea of the pain their families, friends and lovers had to go through today?  Do you have any clue of the devastation they felt when we told them that their loved ones won’t be coming home? Do you?!”

The former matriarch just chuckled bitterly.  “Hehehe! It’s like I said when I first showed you the sub basement.  We have been getting away with this shit for generations! We didn’t care how many lives we ruined, just as long as we made a decent fortune off of those bodies.”

Leona had to hold on to her arms just to prevent herself from doing anything she regretted. Or else she would earn the wrath of Warden Alice.  

She took a deep breath and continued.  “Well, I’m pretty sure you are well aware of what’s become of your fortune?”

“To be honest, no.  I’ve been left completely in the dark.  But, I’m sure this is why you are here. Care to tell me what happened to our money?”

The blood breed just got straight to the point.  There was no need to be coy about the matter. It was best just be blunt about it.

“Your family’s stocks have completely plummeted.  Your Lawyers have given up on you, since the evidence was heavily stacked against you.  Your associates have been given life sentences and will be on the brink of ruin themselves.  And as for what’s left of your fortune, it has been spread equally amongst the survivors and the victims families. It will be compensation for the damage your family has caused.  Your family is completely broke. However, no amount of money could ever bring the victims back to them or ease the pain of their losses.”

Marie was expressionless.  It was as if she was just bored with the overall conversation.  Leona supposed she just figured this would happen. But, the former matriarch thought she could still have the final word to make the blood breed break.

“I suspected as much.  But pray tell, what did happen to the wife of that friend of yours, Linda was it?  Or was Laura?”

Leona felt her cheeks heat up and tears formed in the corner of her eyes.  “Layla! And she… she’s dead. Due to malnourishment, there were complications with her pregnancy and she died from them.  Her daughter was born a month too early and had to be placed in intensive care. Fortunately, she’s better now.”

Marie clicked her tongue, pretending to be concerned.  “Tsk, tsk, tsk… what a waste. A little girl with her parents superior genes, only to be tossed into the foster care system.  Pity, I would have given her a much better future.”

Leona flashed her vampiric god’s eyes at the fallen woman and spoke as if she was possessed by a demon.  “ **Like hell you would!!** ”

Fortunately, that got her to shut up.  The brunette took a deep breath and carried on with her explanation.  “And just so you know, Baby Joy is not being thrown into foster care. My mentor adopted the girl not too long ago.  It was truly love at first sight. At the service, he made a vow to Chris and Layla that he would love and cherish her as his own daughter.  He meant that with all of his heart. Joy will have a happier future with him than she ever would as your damned product.”

Now over her fear of Leona’s wrath, Marie was back to being indifferent again.  She still had one more trick up her sleeve.

“Hmph, so you managed to save that brat and the rest of those freaks.  But don’t forget, you still failed to save the Davis’. And the Nonohara’s… Well, I wouldn’t be surprised that Von Reinherz beast has fucked them into an early grave!  So, what say you now, Ms. Hero?”

This was almost funny.  This basic bitch really thought she had the last laugh.  Leona chuckled as she walked closer to Marie. She took he smartphone out of her dress pocket and went to her photos app.

She found the perfect picture to show the fallen woman.  “Hahaha… oh, how wrong you are.”

Leona held the phone right in front of her face.  Marie’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. It was a picture of Mikako that Leona took when Libra threw that party to celebrate their victory in the case.  Mikako was absolutely glowing! She was wearing a cute yet sexy black cocktail dress that flattered her new healthy figure down to a t. But what really made Marie seethe, was the beautiful smile on her face as she held the flute of champagne in her hand.  Here she was living like a queen while the former matriarch wasted away into bitter ugliness.

But that wasn’t all.

Leona also showed a picture of Makoto at his new job at the new maid/butler cafe.  He looked so happy and dapper in his new uniform, very content with his new work. Mikako’s child was happily living his new life while Marie didn’t even know where her own kids were in the Asylum.

Marie couldn’t believe it.  How could they be happy? She saw Mr. Von Reinherz take those two away.  He couldn’t have let them go! She was so furious and confused, she could barely speak.

“What… why… h-how is this possible?!”

Leona laughed as she put her phone away.  She had been waiting for this for a while.  “Ma’am, do you recall your interview with me?  When you pressed me for answers about my boyfriend, you only asked the unimportant questions.”

Marie scowled.  Just what was she getting at?  “Hmph, Of course I asked the important questions!  You told me everything I needed to know about your sex life!”

“Yes, you did.  But, you were so wrapped up in the intimate parts of our relationship, you forgot to ask the most simple yet crucial parts about him.”

Leona leaned in closer, still grinning like the Cheshire Cat.  “You forgot to to ask his name, where he’s from, or what he does for a living.”

The fallen woman was shocked.  Those were the most important parts.  She was about to rebuttal, still too stubborn to admit defeat.  However, Leona wasn’t done yet.

“Also, at the party, Klaus Von Reinherz was pretty smitten with me wasn’t he?  Ever wondered why he was so eager to “rent” me for the afternoon?”

“You were his type!  Plus he had the money to do so!  Mr. Reinherz didn’t even have to call in advance with that amount of cash!”

“You really did have your eyes on that cash, didn’t you?  It never crossed your mind that we may have known each other?”

Marie started having a laughing fit.  “Hahahahaha! Please! As if someone from such a noble family would waste his time on someone like you!  I mean look at you, your a plain, chubby, nobody who’s far too nosey for her own! You should be thanking me, bitch!  If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t even give you a passing glance! In fact, he probably would gone after Yuuna’s sloppy seconds!”

As the woman went on her little tirade, Leona remained stoic.  “So you think…”

She went over to the communication device next to the door, to contact the Warden.  Alice was getting worried since she noticed on the monitors that Marie was getting unstable.

“Leona, is everything alright?”

“Warden Alice, is it okay if you send him in, please?”

There was an annoyed sigh on the other end, but she relented.  “Very well, you only have three minutes left so make it quick. Standby.”

The door opened for Leona.  Marie squinted to see he who was coming in.  Her eyes opened wide when the large figure walked into the cell.  It was indeed Klaus Von Reinherz. Leona held onto her lover’s arm tenderly as she gave the former Mistress a mischievous grin.

“Marie Mamiya, allow me to introduce you to my boyfriend, Klaus Von Reinherz.”

Leona let go of him so he could bow to Marie.  “An honor to see you again, Madame.” He said sarcastically.

The former matriarch was absolutely speechless.  Her former employee was all touchy-feely with the youngest member of the Von Reinherz family!  How is that even possible!? And that girl never told her about it!

“Why didn’t you tell me Reinherz was your boyfriend!?”  Marie yelled.

Leona walked up and got nose to nose with her.  She simply smiled and said, “You never asked.”

Marie’s jaw hit the floor.  Leona had used her own words against her.  She couldn’t even come up with a retort.

“Times up.”  Said the Warden as she waited at the threshold.  

Leona took Klaus’ hand and they walked out of the cell.  However, as the couple and Alice started making their way towards the elevator, Leona could have sworn she heard angry screaming echoing around the halls.

 

Leona sighed with relief as she walked outside of the asylum.  Even though Marie did her best to upset her, she didn’t regret talking to her.  Coming to the asylum was her way of getting closure for this case.

After hearing her sigh, Klaus placed a hand on her side.  “Are you feeling okay, Leo?”

Leona beamed a sweet smile at him.  “Better than okay!”

He smiled and he bent down to kiss her cheek.  The happy couple got in the car and made their way back home.  Leona felt that she can finally relax, knowing that the Mamiya’s weren’t leaving the asylum, The Nonohara’s were safe, and Joy was being well cared for.  While she did feel sad for the losses, she knew she did her best on her first mission alone. For the first time in centuries, the Mamiya’s have finally been brought to justice.  

Libra had won…

 

*CASE CLOSED*


	26. Thank You

Hi everyone!

I just want to thank everyone for joining in on this crazy story!  This was my first time posting a fan fiction on AO3 and was a little nervous of how it would turn out.  However, I’m actually pretty happy with it.  I’ll probably go back and give this some fine tuning in the future, but that can wait.

I have plenty of fanfic ideas in store!  I really do love the fem!Leona x Klaus pairing a lot, and I would like to write more of my own soon.  I’m even thinking of writing a Beauty and the Beast/ Kekkai Sensen AU, so stay tuned for that!

I'm also planning on writing a fem!Midoriya x Todoroki fanfic in the future too.  However, I’m gonna hold off on that until season four airs, so I will be in a better BNHA mood.

overall, I’m very thankful for the comments and kudos you guys have left me on this fic.  Like I said in the first chapter, I absolutely adore “Merciful Red”. And I wanted to create my own case file to dedicate to SakuraSamuraiGirl.  While the Starless Crossover was rather unconventional, I’m still happy with how it turned out.

 

Thanks again for tuning in, and please continue to stay tuned for future projects!

 

Cheers!


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